[EBB Sightings] What was It!?

Dear Birders:

Two grosbeaks visited my feeder and birdbath today.  I realized I have never 
seen either the Black-headed or the Rose-breasted Grosbeak in other than 
their breeding plumage so I'm confused, and now even more so after staring 
most of the evening at the drawings in Sibley.

The more colorful of the two resembed either a female nonbreeding 
Black-headed Grosbeak or a 1st winter male Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  The 
second bird was whitish and heavily streaked with a very pale bill.  I 
suppose it most resembled the adult nonbreading Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 
however, Sibley's drawing makes the bird seem brighter than the rather 
wash-out bird I observed.

And then there were the voices -- a grosbeak call but not quite asd sharp 
and strong as the Black-headed and also some lighter, breathier notes that 
at first I though might be the familiar, plaintive "peeyur" of a young 
Black-headed following an adult.  But I don't think so.  As there's no place 
left to go -- I going out on a limb and say that I think I was seeing a 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak pair.

In safer territory, the Golden-crowned Sparrow I saw briefly on Saturday has 
not returned so I guess it was just passing through and the winter resident 
group is yet to come.

Tonight after midnight, a northerly gale is predicted to howl over our 
ridgetop.  No telling what that will blow in (or out).

Phila Rogers