A number of us were there at the carefully described site at BCLP between 2:00 and 3:30 PM and getting photos in excellent backlighting. Joey Kellner mentioned that he thought it is a male and after comparing my photos with a number of field guides, including a Birds of Britain and North-West Europe, I conclude that it is indeed a male. Sibley shows the difference between male and female most clearly. See my photos at Flickr WRShade3 as well as Glenn Walbek's. 1. The orange breast meets strongly in the middle. 2. Sibley shows only the male having white lores which agrees with my head on photo. 3. The black and gray head pattern is more strongly marked in the male, again visible in the photos.
I have seen this bird in the winter in the mountains in Japan at feeders a number of times but it was a real thrill to see it in my home county! It sometimes forms enormous flocks in Eurasia. The size and body shape reminds me of Rosy Finches.
It should be a "stayer"! Bob Shade
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