Hello all, This a.m., I observed for the first time this season, a single Pine Siskin at my thistle feeder - in company with my "resident" dozen or so goldfinches. In and of itself this is not an unexpected observation - Gary Cowell observed them at Wayne's Market yesterday, this place being only 2.5 air miles from me. However what was unusual was the plumage of this individual. The plumage of this bird was very crisp, clean and fresh-looking without a hint of yellow anywhere (I observed it at less than 10 feet for several minutes with 7x binoculars, albeit through a double pane picture window ). It was not at all "dingy" with the accompanying dull yellows. My question is: Does this reasonably close relative of the Am. Goldfinch ever undergo a complete post-breeding molt, as its sister species, with the complete or near complete loss of its yellow color. Or was this a late season young-of-the-year that had yet to develop a "breeding plumage". Comments or observations? As to the abundance of siskins this year, we are overdue for a big year. Current indications are that the pump is being primed for such a year for our CBC record. This species (per the CBC record) undergoes an almost predictable two year cycle (an up year followed by a down year followed by an up year). The last high peak was 1989 when almost 1,800 birds were recorded statewide. The average statewide count since 1992 (15 years ago) is 213 birds with peak year being 599 birds in 2001. ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]