It's Finch City

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ATTENTION

Our eyes and ears should be open and alert to the natural wonders that surround us every day. Take time to look out our windows to see the birds that visit us and open our windows to hear them. Walk around whatever space we have to enjoy the birds in nature. Every day, work on improving our powers of observation.

ACCEPTANCE

Nature happens. We cannot MAKE natural things happen (or NOT happen). We can create habitats to encourage natural things to happen around us, but there are no guarantees.

RESPONSIBILITY

Birdfeeding comes with responsibilities to the birds and the environment we share with them. If you are unwilling to accept these responsibilities, you shouldn’t feed the birds. We also have a responsibility to share these natural wonders with the next generation.

April 13, 2012

It's been Finch City around our feeders lately. Flocks of American Goldfinches and Purple Finches have been finding our birdfeeders and emptying them every 3-4 days. And every time I step outside the house, I hear their sweet little songs filling the treetops.

The goldfinches are in midst of their spring molt, when both male and female finches replace their body feathers. So it's not long before the males will flaunt their bright yellow breeding plumage (but it's still months before they breed.)

I have to check over the goldfinches carefully, looking for streaked birds in their midst. Just about every day lately, I've been finding a Pine Siskin or two in amongst the goldfinches.

Purple Finches have returned in force. The males are a gorgeous raspberry color and the females just as beautiful in their streaky brown. The females are outnumbering the males right now, so may the most beautifully colored male bird win!

Posted at 10:43 AM in Attention, Feeder Birds, Migration, Molt | Permalink

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Thanks Boise.

Posted by: The Zen Birdfeeder | February 04, 2013 at 10:13 PM

This is my first time at your blog and I've really enjoyed looking around. I will come back again in the future to check out some of the other articles.

Posted by: boiseidaho.com | January 30, 2013 at 02:56 AM

Ellen, sounds busy at your house with some special visitors too (like your kinglet and creeper!)

Posted by: The Zen Birdfeeder | April 15, 2012 at 09:49 AM

We've had a ton of finches, too - primarily American Goldfinches and (to a lesser extent) House Finches. It's been quite noisy out there, in a good way! And we did have a pair of Purple Finches at the feeders the other day. I wish they'd stick around.

Posted by: Ellen | April 13, 2012 at 11:13 AM

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