House Finch or Purple Finch?

I love these little birds BUT I have a problem tell which one is the House Finch or the Purple Finch???  I think this one here is the House Finch.

This one might be a Purple Finch...The book says the main difference is the House Finch lacks the red crown instead having a brown cap.  Still very hard to tell them apart.

This one I believe is the Purple Finch...Looks like a red head and cap.

I believe this couple is the House Finch.

Purple Finch?

Purple Finch couple ..

If anyone can help me tell them apart please let me know.  They are both a joy to have in the garden.

Hawk, Cooper

This one just visited my yard last week.  He was very patient.  He didn't move when we walked out by the Dogwood Tree he was in. He just kept his eye on us.

This was the first time we saw a Hawk visit our yard.  It was so exciting and no one believed me.  Was glad I had pictures to show.

This one landed right on the porch and stayed for a long time.  He was hugh.  I believe he is a juvenile.

He is waiting for the birds to return to the feeders.

This Hawk caught his dinner out of the pine tree next door and flew into my Dogwood tree.  I was just lucky to have my camera with me on the porch watching the snow fall.

I enjoy the Hawks visit.  I hope that he only gets the Sparrow. (so awful of me, but there are so many of them).

Grackle, Common

I think these birds have such pretty colors in their feathers. The iridescent blue on their heads is so pretty.

The male and female at the feeder.

 He even enjoyed my little fountain I put in this year. 

He loved the red berries that were in this tree.  Some call it a sweet bay tree, it is a relative of the Magnolia, it has very sweet smelling flowers and then the pod that opens with red berries.  It blooms all summer.

Here he is on the Dogwood tree.

Downey Woodpecker

A male Downey on the railing...very rare to see him just sitting there.

They love the nut feeder.

This is a female.

A Male wating to get to the nuts.

A great picture of his back.

This one was just sitting on the line.

This is a baby Downey Woodpecker.

Here is the baby with his father at the nut feeder.

Watching and learning and waiting to be fe

Cow Bird

Female Cowbird

I only have a few pictures because they seem to only visit my feeders in the winter when the snow is on the ground

The Male has a brown head and black body.

The story I have heard is that they use to follow the buffalo herds and because of that they never were in one place long enough to build a nest.  They lay their eggs in other bird nests and let them be raised by that bird. 

Carolina Wren

I just love the little Carolina Wren....They have so many sounds and for a little guy, they are loud!

The are so curious about everything and will explore every nook on the porch and in the yard. 

He doesn't stay in one place for very long.  I have a hard time getting any good pictures of him because just as I take the picture......he has gone on to other places!

He does love the nuts, so I have been able to get a few shots of him.

One year they nested in my yard right by the porch in this little bird house I had out for decoration.  It was so sweet to see the whole family on the porch.

A back shot.

This one is good to be able to see the white strip above his eye.

And now he has his nut and away he goes till later.