The American Goldfinches are in the middle of their nesting season and I am noticing an increase in their numbers. It seems they are attracted to all the coneflowers that have gone to seed. This one here was busy plucking seeds and eating them as fast as he could pick them. Greedy little sucker, I say.
They are certainly one of my backyard favorites. In the summer their bright sunny color brightens up the landscape. Their antics at the feeders, as they chase other finches away from their cache is fun to watch. They readily scold each other and mock fight. Then in the winter as their colorful plumage gives way to their more drab winter coloration they begin to flock together in huge numbers. I counted over a 100 at one time in my yard a few years back. They are a joy year round!
These birds are a delight to watch. I used to keep a feeder stalked year round but had to stop with a certain cat catching the house finches. Grrrr!! Maybe I can try again when it starts to rain and the felines will be hunkered down.
ReplyDeleteI agree, they are so fun and pretty. I know what you mean about the kitty's though. We live in the country and for some reason people assume this means they can dump their unwanted pets on you. A few years ago we had over 18 cats by the time all the bred females had kittens. I had to cease and desist all bird feeding after I spotted several of the cats feasting on the birds. I felt so bad, as if I was offering up an all you can eat buffet just for those mangy cats. We finally found homes for all the cats but 3, which were our original pets. We still find the occasional sacrificed bird but nothing like in the past.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty bird! I love birds, but unfortunately with us their number is decreasing year by year.
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