The Goldfinch Gang

Recently the goldfinches found the feeders. When they come, it's usually in a big group of about six (three males and three females). 

The upside of having weeds...

We have a full-on thistle farm waiting to be destroyed by the landscaper later this month. In the meantime the weeds are an eyesore and I'm totally embarrassed by them.

But, I found the silver lining! They feed the goldfinches! 

Just today we had at least two females and one male fighting over their turn at the lavender bristles.

Neon

Nature's highlighter.

Potato-chip

The next time I see a goldfinch painting imaginary scalloped trails through the air during his dipping flight, I will have to pay attention to his song which my bird book describes as "a cheery potato-chip." 

Happy Birthday to Me!

What a beautiful day! A few years ago on my grandpa's birthday I saw a flock of cedar waxwings, and now today on my birthday here they are again, like Grandpa Lambert was sending his good wishes to me.

And even an ordinary sparrow can look sweet on a day like today. 

Other birthday callers include chickadees, a goldfinch, a woodpecker, robins, a female cardinal, and a bluejay calling in the distance. 

Wildflower Cafe

Two goldfinches look over the day's special, black eyed susan and coneflower salad.

Enjoying coneflower

Quite the buffet!

Digging in

Springtime Birdservations!

A briefing on what the birds have been up to in my neighborhood:

• While on a walk we heard the chickadees with their two-note call. One bird called out and another answered, descending down the musical scale. As they continued with their individual rhythms, the notes were soon in tandem with each other to make perfect harmony.
• The goldfinches are gaining their summer plumage back so they look more as their name describes and not the buff color they were all winter. I saw one call out from a spindly sprig at the top of a pine tree, alerting all available females to his grandeur.
• A crow also took advantage of the highest point on the street and claimed himself to be king of the hill from atop a chimney.
• Every time I see geese my heart melts a little. Often in pairs on grassy areas, one picks away at the ground while the other watches for danger. 
• Two bluebird sightings in one week! It's so exciting to see rusty red and cerulean blue dart through the air.
• There is what I believe to be an egret living in the pond by the community center. They move so carefully, even their flight appears in slow-motion.
• Our backyard has been full of activity from the robins as they hunt worms and enjoy old berries still on the tree.
• Also in the backyard was a large bird I didn't see long enough to figure out what it was. It was bigger than a robin, was feeding on the ground, and when he took flight there appeared to be a bright yellow coloring under his wings. This would lead me to believe it was a flicker but I'm not certain.
• I've heard more red-winged blackbirds than I've seen.
• And finally, I've seen many birds of prey gliding overhead. Their cries reminded me of something you'd hear in an old western movie as  the sun bakes the desert landscape.

Fluffy Winter Plumage

Since seeing the flock of goldfinches on Christmas Eve, I put out a thistle seed sock to encourage them to return. Having seen no action all week, I finally had my first visitor. It was about 5 degrees out so he's got his winter plumage puffed out to maximum. The rest of his crew arrived later and preferred the birch tree.

Nine Finches Flocking

This morning I saw what could have been a verse of the 12 Days of Christmas. A flock of nine goldfinches nibbling away at the birch tree.

Merry Christmas!

Nine Finches Flocking

Winter is coming, just ask the birds

I haven't posted much lately and that's not for lack of bird activity.

Birds are migrating, with some leaving us for warmer southern temps, and some joining us from their northern summer homes, like juncos. The geese have been practicing their Vs. It's funny watching some of those younger geese try to figure out where they are supposed to fall into line. By now those formations are getting tighter and coming together quicker than a few weeks ago. Some might have left already but there are still flocks who haven't yet.

I noticed a few weeks ago that the goldfinches have already donned their "winter coats." From the back they still have their signature finch design with the wings creating a stripey V, and no longer bright yellow but more of a dull taupe.

Everyone is taking advantage of the bountiful natural seed harvest, trying to gain their winter fat stores. We have a few sparrows who have fattened up considerably since the last of their offspring left the nest. My feeders have been empty for the past few months because I know there is plenty of food for them to find in the seeding flowers and weeds, like my sunflowers and the neighbor's coneflowers, both favorites of the goldfinch.

The birds know it won't be long now before the weather changes!

Sock Feeder

Because of an increase in goldfinch activity, I bought a nyjer seed sock feeder to accommodate these sweet birds. It went unnoticed for a day, but now even the sparrows and chickadees are enjoying it. I positioned the tray underneath the sock so the seeds won't drop to the ground and plant themselves, and the sparrows have found it's a convenient platform from which they reach up to the sock to grab a few bites, and it's also a great place to politely wait one's turn.

Good As Gold

Yesterday as I filled the feeders I heard goldfinches everywhere. I was surprised because I usually only see one mating pair at the feeder together so my assumption was there were few of these birds in my neighborhood. When I looked up in the birch tree, directly above me a male leaned over to his fluttery winged companion and fed it, meaning they've got a brood fledging. Goldfinches tend to mate later in the season than most birds.

This morning is no different with the goldfinch population. After this was taken a fourth joined but I wasn't quick enough to photograph it. They are very hungry today.

A Few Items Worth Mentioning

• Just a few hours after I posted about male cardinals feeding the females, I actually witnessed this! I don't think they were mating because it seems too late for that, and the female was not scruffy like the juvenile I had seen a few weeks prior so I assumed it was an adult female. It looked like she was receiving a sweet kiss from her love. 

• Later that day a bluebird took a quick respite from flying in the heat to perch on the top of the shepherd's hook. I have never seen a bluebird before so this was very exciting for me. He had his mouth wide open. I've seen other birds do this and I wondered if it's a cooling mechanism, much like panting for a dog. Turns out it is, the internet says. It was pretty hot that day. 

• The blue jays have been very noisy today! I rarely hear them, and usually only so when I walk through the parts of the neighborhood where the trees are thicker. They're so loud I expect a flock of them to land in my yard to begin the Angry Blue Jay Territory Convention.  

• On my way to the library yesterday I saw a dark wide wingspan circle over the street a ways in front of me and land over some road kill. I was able to drive right up to it before it flew away revealing itself to be a turkey vulture! Before I knew what it was I was describing it to Rob and said it looked like a big black bird with a red turkey head. I wouldn't call them "pretty." 

• I love it when I surprise the birds at my feeder. Many of them are so focused on eating that they don't hear me walking from the car to the front door. When I get right next to the feeder they all scream, fly to the nearest branch, and if they're chickadees, they scold me until I shut the front door behind me. Last week I surprised a goldfinch. He looked right at me, paused as if processing what he saw, then gave a startled warble before flying away. 

Goldfinch

Goldfinches are nearly impossible to photograph because they always have their backs turned towards the house, or they're concealed by birch tree leaves.

Then I got lucky.