While we are still enjoying neotropical migrants and shorebirds, part of the heart of any birder looks forward to the change of seasons and what avian pleasures it may bring. Well, this year, we'll likely be foregoing visits from our finchy friends, according to Ron Pittaway, who each year puts out a "Winter Finch Forecast" - always makes for fascinating ecological reading, even when he says the finches are all staying home this year: http://www.jeaniron.ca/2013/forecast.htm Well, finches always distract one from squinting at hordes of Bonaparte's Gulls, trying to pick out something rare, anyway. Good birding, Andy Sewell Columbus, Ohio ______________________________________________________________________ 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]