id please of unsusal birds

I just saw 2 birds that are new to me. sorry no pictures

They where about the size of large sparrows and had heavy seed bills(like finch bills) They where dark gray or blackish, with white strips above and below the eyes. Did not really see there bodys as they where on the other side of the feeder.

I have never in my long years of birdwatching seen any that look like these.

Any help would be appreciated

Check out female Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Resin

Here is a good photo of one. http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=3371957

Thanks But no, both birds where very dark, blackest when they flow did not see any light color other than the face strips.

Am thinking they are either accidentals or escape cage birds.

I keep looking the closes I can find is the Black throated sparrow(this bird is only found out west) The birds I saw had the same kind of white strips on their face but I did not notice any white on any other parts of the body. But my eyes are getting old. The size was close to that of a Evening Grosbeak. The beaks where heavy like a grosbeak's.

Wren: Could it have been the Black and White Warbler: http://mayo.personcounty.net/Bird%20Folder/Songbirds/Black-and-White%20Warbler.jpg

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-and-white_Warbler/lifehistory

My Florida Bird book says they are here throughout winter and depart in May.

No. I know the black and white, wrong shape bill, to big to be that and and the B/w does not come to feeder that I know of..

I have never seen this bird before. Total different from any birds in the bird book

the head markings looked more like this. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-throated_Sparrow/sounds

I was only a couple of feet from the feeder and the second bird and I eyed each other for about 30 or 40 seconds, so I get a good look at the head. Wish the body had not been on the other side of the feeder.

This message was edited May 5, 2010 9:22 PM