Can anyone help identify a bird?

Once in awhile I see a tiny bird in my yard in Massachusetts. It looks like a finch but is only about half the size of the usual goldfinches and house finches. It's pretty non-descript, kind of light grayish brown with some darker markings. I know this doesn't help much, but I've never had a camera handy when it visits the feeder or lands on a branch near me. The only remarkable thing about it is its size, which I'm guessing to be only 2 to 3 inches from beak to tail.

Hi McCool, Have you heard it's call?

I know this is not helpful, but I can't be sure. There are so many birds around at the moment. I don't see it all that often, and when I do, it's usually busy eating or ready to take off.

Any more clues on shape, etc., would help – does it have a long tail, or a short tail? Any white on the tail or anywhere else? What pattern do the dark marks have? Any head pattern such as a pale eyebrow?

Resin

I watched for the "mystery bird" all day on Monday (my day off), but it didn't show. I've only seen it a few times over the past couple of years, so I've no idea when or if I'll get a good enough look at it to give a better description.

All I can really say is that it reminded me of a female goldfinch, but is tiny. I was kinda hoping somebody would say something like "Oh, must be a pygmy something-or-other finch"

And it's for sure a seed eater?

Yes, it did visit one of our feeders, although I don't think it's a "regular" there.

Hmm,

My first though, just based on size would be the Ruby Crowned Kinglet or a blue-gray gnatcatcher. Though not generally at feeders. They flit around a bunch.

Other thoughts, again more on size would be a Chickadee, a red-breasted nuthatch.

I suppose you could take a look at those to see if anything looks close.

Thanks for trying -- I didn't really expect much given the very little I've been able to observe. We get the white-breasted nuthatch and plenty of chickadees, so unless the red-breasted nuthatch is a lot smaller than its "cousin", neither of those are anything like my mystery bird.

The red-breasted IS smaller, but it's pretty distinct in its markings. Keep looking!