Oodles of fun!

I don't think the word "oodles" has entered my brain since the days I droodled (the 1950s). But today, as I was heading home from a little birding adventure, "that was oodles of fun!" popped into my head.

It was a lovely day, not to be wasted. Headed out early, got chilled, but didn't mind. The cemetery had too much human activity (any is too much. LOL) but enough bird activity to keep me happy. Got my best Grasshopper Sparrow photos ever, I think.

Managed to locate a few Red Crossbills off in the distance. Didn't relocate the Lewis's Woodpecker  by the golf course today. It was full of people too, as was the adjacent church that it hangs out at. But yesterday I got some photos of it near the church, so can't complain.

Also yesterday I got some nice shots of a Merlin dining on a bird.

This afternoon I went to my sister-in-law's place to see a finch that we thought might be a Purple Finch, which would be a lifer for me. It's probably just a Cassin's Finch, which is still a nice bird. Afternoons are slow birding and I was tired, so didn't get as good a photo as I would have liked.

Females of both species apparently look very similar and since no Purple Finch has ever been documented in Brewster County, experts call it a Cassin's. That raises the bar high on ever getting an unbiased ID. I always find that frustrating. 

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UPDATE: December 12 - The finch has finally been accepted as a Purple Finch! YAY!