I took a few of my ornithology students to Blendon Woods this afternoon; we saw a nice assortment of birds, but a female-type grosbeak at the nature center feeders caught my attention. It's probably just a female Rose-breasted, but the coloring made me think
it might be a Black-headed. I mentioned to my students that this grosbeak probably wasn't one, but it had the sort of features that might make Black-headed a consideration; I grabbed one of the field guides to show them, then when I looked up it was gone.
Again, probably just a Rose-breasted, but if you're at the nature center feeders, keep an eye out for a richly colored female-type grosbeak.
Blake Mathys