Joe Pender Wildlife Photography

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak 1st winter male


This 1st Winter male Rose Breasted Grosbeak was 1st seen yesterday turned up in my garden late afternoon the light was very poor but I still took some record shots plus this little bit of video Im hoping it will come back tomorrow in better light .
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak's breeding habitat is open deciduous woods across most of Canada and the northeasternUSA. In particular the northern birds migrate south through the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, to winter from central-southern Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean to Peru and Venezuela. The southern limit of its wintering range is not well known; it was for example only recorded in the SerranĂ­a de las Quinchas (Colombia) in the 1990s. In winter, they prefer more open woodland, or similar habitat with a loose growth of trees, such as forest edges, parks, gardens and plantations, ranging from sea level into the hills, e.g. up to 5,000 ft (1,500 m) ASL in Costa Rica.
The first birds leave the breeding grounds as early as August, while the last ones do not return until mid-late May. In general, however, they migrate south in late September or in October, and return in late April or early May. It appears as if they remain on their breeding grounds longer today than they did in the early 20th century, when migrants were more commonly seen in May and August than in April or September. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak occurs as a very rare vagrant in western Europe


5 comments:

  1. Bloody 'ell' Joe, nice one mate and in your garden!

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  2. Right I'm coming around tomorrow!

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  3. Great pictures!! wish I could come round tomorrow !!

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  4. Stupendious Joe. Keep feeding it until I get back from Oz in Janaury.

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  5. Brilliant garden bird,great captures Joe.
    John.

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