After getting a haircut I was walking around a park in northern Nassau County, on Long Island, when I spotted a finch. A Purple Finch! Just one, but that was enough to make my day. It flew into another tree, and I lost it but found a nice Brown Thrasher. The finch eventually popped back into view. Then a second flew in. A third. Fourth. Fifith. Sixth! A whole little flock that was scared of by starlings a minute later. It sure seems to be the winter of the Purple Finches so far!