Fall visitor

GROSS GROSBEAK – The messy face makes for a gross beak for the female pine grosbeak, which had hit the jackpot of a crabapple tree just west of Plains. A messy face doesn't seem to bother her as she moves from berry to berry, sampling a little from each one. She was soon joined by four other pine grosbeaks, all females. According to the Montana Field Guide, the pine grosbeak, which is part of the finch family, is relatively common across the state. The male has a more reddish color with some yellow with orange-red on its head. Females are not as bright as the males. The Audubon Society notes that in the winter, they are often found in crabapple trees.