Bird ID request: sparrow, finch? (1 Viewer)

[rascolnicov]

Hi, took this picture in North New Jersey, today (Nov 14).
Having trouble with identifying.
This was a group which landed on top of the tree and stayed there relatively motionless, basking in the sun for a good many minutes.
Picture taken from approx 100 yds, birds seemed larger than sparrows when flying, yet when examining the photos..
Thanks for any opinions

 

[Butty]

Red-winged blackbirds. Note bill-shape.

 

[THE_FERN]

(Females)

 

[rascolnicov]

Red-winged blackbirds. Note bill-shape.

Thank you Butty (and everybody else who confirmed).
No wonder I couldn't match the pictures to any sparrows.
Was leaning towards purple finch, due to some red hue here and there but not really, of course.
Now it all figures (including the larger size), will have to remember the conical bill shape.

They did a good job fooling me again. A sizeable group and all females, must have been going to a convention. I did notice some yellow coloring around the bill but for some it was rather reddish. (including on the back, yet no obvious patch on the wing -as washed out as females have it)

This is was only the second time I posted a question in this forum and as it happens, the bird I was trying to identify last time (3 years ago) was also a female red winged bird (thread here: Unknown bird at feeder Apr 12/ North New Jersey )

_______

..So now I digged up another picture, taken a few days ago, similar predicament (group of birds, this time 2) perched on top of a tall tree, very distant (fully zoomed in at 4000 mm, half of which is digital. Handheld Nikon Coolpix P950).
Are these also female red winged blackbirds? I see some resemblance to the pictures from yesterday but also some differences, for example the bill is less pointed and the relative size of the eyes to the head is larger. At least the same size as a red winged blackbird, possibly larger (couldn't tell at that distance)

 

[Butty]

Purple finches. Short triangular bill, big supercilium.

 

[rascolnicov]

Yep, everything matches, including that split tail.
I overestimated the size a bit perhaps. Females again. Aren't they tricky.
This forum is an invaluable resource.

Dave.

 

[KC Foggin]

Yup! Red-winged Blackbirds for the first set and Purple Finches for the second group.