Mopes

The first time I remember seeing pine grosbeaks was a Christmas Day
almost twenty years ago. I thought, "My god, we have parrots in the
tree out back." Of course, they weren't parrots, but I'm still pretty
excited whenever I see them.

These were part of a flock of about twelve of them that were checking
out the last of the dogberries in Ganny Cove this past weekend. (Here
they are in a little cherry bush.)

Yesterday I was working in the yard when they came back and, true to
their reputation as mopes, one stayed at the dogberries for ten
minutes while I slowly walked in closer, "pish-pishing" at him. He
finally flew to another tree when I was two or three metres from him,
seven or ten feet. I didn't have my camera then so I have no
close-ups.