Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies Archives - Window to Wildlife

House Finches eating Crab Apples at Fox River in Waukesha on December 14, 2023

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My first birding stop of the morning gave great views of House Finches eating crab apples on a tree in Waukesha along the Fox River. I have seen them along the river often but not eating crab apples. I think the crab apples are softening up now and the birds can enjoy them. It was a gorgeous day with full sun, low winds and mild temps around 36 degrees early in the morning. Images were taken on December 14, 2023.

The male House Finch enjoying a crab apple…

The female House Finch enjoying a crab apple…

Piece by piece they take the crab apple and eat it…

The male House Finch enjoying a crab apple…

The male House Finch enjoying a crab apple…

The male House Finch enjoying a crab apple and perched pretty…

The male House Finch enjoying a crab apple…

The male House Finch nibbling away…

The male House Finch

The male House Finch…

The female House Finch with a bite to eat…

Red Crossbills in Marquette County Wisconsin on November 18, 2023

By admin | November 19, 2023 - 9:21 pm |November 19, 2023 Bird Categories, Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies

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I was walking on some private property in Marquette County and out of nowhere 6 Red Crossbills landed in a Red Pine 25 feet from me. 4 males and 2 females. The event lasted only 30 seconds and I did not even see the females until they flew from the area as they were in a tree nearby. I never seen the birds again but I did get a quick few photos to share. It was a gorgeous day for this time of year with mild temps around 50 degrees, full sun, low winds. Images were taken on November 18, 2023.

Red Crossbill, male

A pair of males…

Their stop was very short…

White-winged Crossbills at Stute Springs in the South Kettle Moraine in Waukesha County January 25, 2022

By admin | January 25, 2022 - 6:23 pm |January 25, 2022 Bird Categories, Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies

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I took a ride in the South Kettle Moraine in the afternoon and found some White-winged Crossbills at Stute Springs. There were roughly 20-25 birds very high up feeding on cone seeds and moving around plenty from tree to tree. After a few minutes they circled the area a few times and headed west. The photos are a little fuzzy as the birds were high up and far away. I have stopped here other times this winter and never saw a crossbill, pretty much hit and miss with this species at this location. It was a cold day with a pretty good breeze out of the north and a high temperature of 6 degrees for the day. Sunny skies did give some relief out of the wind. Images were taken on January 25, 2022.

White-winged Crossbill, male

White-winged Crossbill, female

White-winged Crossbill, male

Common Redpolls at the Summerfest Amphitheater in Milwaukee Wisconsin on December 8, 2020

By admin | December 8, 2020 - 2:49 pm |December 8, 2020 Bird Categories, Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies

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Birding along the lakefront in Milwaukee near the Summerfest amphitheater I came across some recent reported Common Redpolls. They were a large flock of 50 plus birds. They fed on flower and weed seeds along the south end of the amphitheater. They did not hang around long while I was there but long enough for a couple of shots through the cyclone fence. No other special birds to note for the morning out. It was a chilly cloudy morning with temps starting below 32 degrees with a steady wind. Images were taken on December 8, 2020.

Common Redpoll in flight…

Common Redpoll eating Canada Goldenrod seeds…

Common Redpoll eating Evening Primrose seeds…

Common Redpoll eating Evening Primrose seeds…

Common Redpoll eating Evening Primrose seeds and keeping balance…

Common Redpoll eating aster seeds…

Common Redpoll eating aster seeds…

Evening Grosbeak at Grant Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on December 1, 2020

By admin | December 1, 2020 - 6:27 pm |December 1, 2020 Bird Categories, Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies

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Checking out the bird feeder at Grant Park in Milwaukee today there was 1 Evening Grosbeak, a nice looking female. There have been some reported at this location so it was not a big surprise. But it is a nice surprise to have them in our area at this time. Hope we see more winter birds from the north soon. It was a cloudy day early on, cold with the wind and temps around 34 degrees. Images were taken on December 1, 2020.

Evening Grosbeak, female…

A look back…

Beautiful bird!

Red Crossbills Feeding on Cone Seeds at Grant Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on January 21, 2018

By admin | January 21, 2018 - 2:36 pm |January 21, 2018 Bird Categories, Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies

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I was birding along the lakefront this morning and I came across some Red Crossbills feeding on some cone seeds on some spruce trees. I saw 2 males and 2 females. I only saw 4 of these birds and they moved around to a couple of different clumps of spruce trees while I was there. It started to drizzle so I left, and the Red Crossbills were still present. That was the birding highlight for the day. A cloudy day with fog and very light drizzle. The temps were mild, that felt great for a change. Images were taken on January 21, 2018.

Red Crossbill, male eating cone seeds on a spruce tree…

Red Crossbill

Binomial name: Loxia curvirostra

Category: Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies

Size: 6.25” long, 11” wing span

Weight: 1.3 oz

Red Crossbill, male eating cone seeds on a spruce tree…

Red Crossbill, male eating cone seeds on a spruce tree…

Red Crossbill, male, seed in the bill! Eating cone seeds on a spruce tree…

Red Crossbill, male, seed in the bill, perched…

Red Crossbills, male (red), 2 females (yellow-green)

Red Crossbill, female

Red Crossbill, female on the ground

Red Crossbill, female

Red Crossbill, female

Common Redpolls at Grant Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on January 6, 2018

By admin | January 6, 2018 - 4:05 pm |January 6, 2018 Bird Categories, Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies

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Doing some birding along the lakefront in Milwaukee this morning, the highlight was the Common Redpolls at Grant Park. I stopped by this morning where the feeder was present last year, and that is where Common Redpolls were. The Common Redpolls in numbers of 2-4 showed up for short periods in that area on and off why I was there. It appeared some bird seed was present on the ground from who ever there and that was the attractant for the Common Redpolls. Off the feeder, I have enjoyed watch this species eating cone seeds of the Alder Trees in the state. Other species present at Grant Park, Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, both White and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Red-bellied Woodpeckers and very many Mourning Doves. It was a bright sunny day with low winds, temperature was about -1 F at the feeder. Images were taken on January 6, 2018.

Common Redpoll

Binomial name: Carduelis flammea

Category: Redpolls

Size: 5.25” long, 9” wing span

Weight: .46 oz

Common Redpoll

A pair…

Common Redpoll just off a ways…

Common Redpoll

Common Redpoll

Common Redpoll on the ground looking for seeds…

Red-breasted Nuthatch

House Finches eating apples in the tree on the Milwaukee Lakefront on October 17, 2017

By admin | October 17, 2017 - 2:33 pm |October 17, 2017 Bird Categories, Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies

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Birding along the lake this morning was quiet for the most part. McKinley Beach had 3 Sanderlings. These numbers seem to change daily there at that beach. Lakeshore State Park still had the Redhead Duck and 2 Pied-billed Grebes along with many American Coots and Double-crested Cormorants. A few American Shovelers still hanging out. The Black Scoters were still present off of North Point. I ran into Bruce along the Milwaukee Lakefront, he had found some House Finches eating apples in a tree and I took a few images to share of the event. I have never saw this feeding before but it is probably normal. A beautiful fall day with plenty of sunshine, nice temps but did have some wind gusts. Images were taken on October 17, 2017.

House Finch, male with an apple…

House Finch

Binomial name: Carpodacus mexicanus

Category: Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies

Size: 6” long, 9.5” wing span

Weight: .74 Oz.

Digging in…

House Finch, female with apple in the bill…

House Finch, male enjoying some apple…

House Finch, female enjoying some apple…

House Finch, female getting the good stuff!

House Finch, female with apple in the bill…

House Finch, male enjoying some apple…

House Finch, male, getting way in there!

House Finch, female getting that peeling!

Common Redpolls at Frame Park in Waukesha Wisconsin on January 16, 2016

By admin | January 16, 2016 - 5:11 pm |January 16, 2016 Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies, Uncategorized

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I birded some of Milwaukee’s lakefront this morning to see what was around. Highlight at the lakefront was a immature Great Black-backed Gull and an adult that spent the time out in the water. The fun was just starting as I started heading home a received a text from Ryan S that Common Redpolls were near Frame Park in Waukesha. When I arrived, Ryan was just going to try to relocate them as they had flown off. After a 1/4 mile walk we relocated them along the river feeding on the cones on some Alder trees. What a show they put on with nice views. It was about a flock of 15-25, some came and went but the majority of them hung around for while. For the most part they continually pulled seeds from the cones and ate them. I had been down to the river 3 times this week looking for the Redpolls with no luck so this really made my day and the others that had been looking for them. A big thank you to Ryan for the text message this morning. Later Derek and Bruce showed up and also enjoyed the show. Images of the Common Redpolls eating seeds or gathering them were taken on January 16, 2016.

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll

Binomial name: Carduelis flammea

Category: Redpolls

Size: 5.25” long, 9” wing span

Weight: .46 oz

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll extracting the Alder seed from the cone

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

It’s all about food! Common Redpoll extracting the Alder seed from the cone

Common Redpoll

Common Redpoll extracting the Alder seed from the cone

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll extracting the Alder seed from the cone

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll extracting the Alder seed from the cone

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll eating the Alder seed

Common Redpoll extracting the Alder seed from the cone

Purple Finches, Northern Cardinals, and Black-capped Chickadees feeding on the natural food supply

By admin | March 7, 2014 - 6:25 pm |May 2, 2014 Cardinals, Chickadees and Titmice, Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies, Piranga Tanagers and Allies

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Purple Finches, Northern Cardinals, and Black-capped Chickadees feeding on the natural food supply, crab apples for their seeds and white ash seeds in the South Kettle Moraine, Waukesha County, WI. Photographs were taken on March 7, 2014