Goldfinches and feeders

An enjoyable part of feeding birds is watching them, of course. And we've been having a lot of fun watching the American goldfinches visiting the thistle feeder here in the mountains.

The activity is huge on the covered platform feeder; not only do we see the usual cardinals, tufted titmice, Carolina chickadees, and nuthatches, but also the Eastern towhees, who apparently think the platform isn't that different than the ground.

But the goldfinches are striking and always nice to see.

This evening there were 3 of them visiting the feeder shortly before dusk.

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More goldfinches

Another flurry of goldfinches visited the feeders today, including some males that were a deep yellow.

It's nice to see them - I enjoy watching them all year, whether at the feeders or eating seeds from late summer and fall fruits. A literal bright spot in a glorious almost spring day!

The spring equinox tomorrow will be graced by perfect spring weather, a cool morning with afternoon highs in the 70°s (F). I'm grateful for the arrival of spring.

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A goldfinch flock

A flurry of activity drew my attention this afternoon. Out the study window, I could see goldfinches on all three feeders (2 sunflowers and 1 thistle). There were at least three on each (I could see them better after picking up my binoculars!)

They were largely the dull color of winter, and this was the only shot I was able to get. Opening the door finds them scattering for cover, and a long view through the window is blurry at best.

Lots of people see large flocks at their feeders this time of year, but this is as many as I've seen before.

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Juvenile American Goldfinches

'Our' goldfinch family is out there chowing down on thistle seeds from the feeder right now. Maybe this was dad, from early in the summer.

I've filled the thistle feeder numerous times over the last couple of months, as the parents, and then the youngsters were loading up. They were eating a LOT of niger thistle seed, in addition to foraging for Rudbeckia, Echinacea, and other seeds in the front meadow.

There were three of them getting water from the smallest birdbath right outside my study window this morning. The juveniles are comical-looking with the scruffy mottled feathers growing out.

I didn't manage to get a photo, but in looking for one to include or link to, found this nice post about a papa goldfinch and a fledgling foraging in a meadow, with fabulous photos.

American goldfinches are among the last birds to breed in our warm season, being almost totally seed-eaters; late nesting coincides with abundant composite and grass seed production in late summer and fall. This is an excellent account about American Goldfinches from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

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More dry weather

After a wonderfully wet spring, the spigot has turned off. We haven't had anything more than a sprinkling of rain since early June. I'm trying to deeply water the vegetable garden at least once a week (and avoid the temptation to water a little bit every day), but it's hard to keep up, with high afternoon temperatures and sunny days.

The goldfinches, brown thrashers, squirrels, and others are depending on the bird bath for water, while the mystery woodchuck is becoming more interested in well-watered squash leaves. It's hard to be too annoyed; there's certainly no succulent fresh growth out there, aside from what's being watered.

The U.S. drought monitor is still showing that we're OK (that's good) and the long-term projections are fine, so this is just a normal LONG droughty spell. But definitely even native drought-tolerant plants that have been recently added (perennials in the last year, and shrubs and trees in the last couple of years) and all of the water-dependent vegetables and container plants need water.

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Bird feeders

In my non-wildlife gardening days, I figured birds were on their own. There's generally plenty of food out there, I thought, although habitat might be in short supply.

But putting out bird feeders (sunflower seed, thistle seed, and suet) some years ago opened a new arena of observation.

All of the usual suspects (speaking in 'now' terms) appeared -- and they're great -- I know all the songs and call of our regular garden birds, and whether they eat seeds or suet, or kick up insects in the leaf litter or eat earthworms in the spring.

In the mountains, we added all of these, and it didn't take long for the seeds to be discovered. There was a parade of cardinals, tufted titmice, and Carolina chickadees at the sunflower seed feeder, and this male goldfinch loaded up.

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A pair of American Goldfinches

By the time the thistle seed ran out in the last 'thistle sock,' the goldfinches had figured they'd better forage elsewhere. So a full 'thistle sock' -- pretty ugly, but effective, has been quiet for the last week or so.

But early this morning, a pair of American Goldfinches were avidly snagging seeds, and I managed to snap a halfway decent photo through my study window.

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Birds at the feeders

A goldfinch on the thistle feeder caught my eye from the study window.

When I went outside, I heard a woodpecker up in the oak tree, and saw him finally. Then, he dropped down to get some suet.

Then, looking back towards the feeders, I saw a male hummingbird, getting a long couple of swallows, then the male goldfinch back on the thistle feeder. Shortly after that, a female goldfinch came to the feeder, followed by another male. Then, they all flew off.

It was a lovely way to spend a few minutes in the garden.

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Goldfinches in the meadow

Another dry morning (I do so wish it would rain) was brightened by a pair of American goldfinches in the front meadow. I've seen a pair frequently in the last couple of weeks, the brilliant yellow of the male drawing my attention. I'm hopeful that they may be working on a nest nearby - they're one of the last species to breed in the summer, presumably depending on abundant seeds in fall to nourish their young.

We apparently had several fledglings a couple of years ago that practiced flying from the big oak towards the bird feeders near the porch.

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