Mystery Bird

July 31 2017 
I have my guess of what this is, but still have doubts. Comments invited.

Didn't I do this last year for the same bird?

Maybe I should call it the deja-vu bird instead!

Bigger than Goldfinch.

 Seems to have come for the suet, which was empty.

August 2: Scale.

A ruler in the exact same spot puts head-to-tail at 5-1/4 inches minimum. 

It was angled a bit (top of ruler closer to us) but I doubt as much as the bird.

 For comparison, similar dimension for a House Finch is closer to 5 inches. Different twig, but ruler photographed at same place as bird. Yes, I shopped the ruler again for contrast.

Bottom line: 

I first thought young or female Scarlet Tanager, but now think Summer Tanager.

2017 Summer

July 2 
The spectacular Red-headed Woodpecker. It's been a banner year for us with these guys such that I started hoping we'd eventually see kids (*below).

House Wren, for the record. Mostly they stay on the west side where their house is.
July 22 update: after Bluebird clutch #2 fledged, the wrens are persistently trying to move in. I made a little video of their work with sticks, soon to be posted perhaps.

One of the local bunnies. I am wondering if they eat poison ivy. That would redeem them from (suspicion of) eating my baby milkweed!

July 4. Great-crested Flycatcher? Overexposed, sorry.
 Our book has 3 similar that it says are best identified on the basis of song/call.
 

Downy and Bee Balm.  

Tiny Toad in Gravel Pile.

July 22 - I must have walked right by this little runaway on my way to the mailbox. On return I spotted it and immediately went for the camera. It had remained in the same spot keeping quite still. I snapped some photos then wondered if it was hungry. Went for some worms, still there but quite unresponsive, even when I touched its beak with a worm. Maybe a minute later it decided I was bad news and ran off cheeping.

 Just about that time I became aware of this unit, acting parental and confirming ID: Brown Thrasher. And no, it's not missing a leg, I just caught it mid-step!

What nicely folded wings!

*As I'd hoped, a young Red-headed Woodpecker appears.
A short video sequence of it talking.

(July 29) Comparing wing feathers to those of the adult (July 22):

Wet male Towhee with some kind of feather disarray?

More wet disarray. This may be one I was observing that struck me as being young. 
It seemed lacking in that brash Blue Jay attitude.

July 28: Purple Finch and American Goldfinch, both males.