The Daily Bird #5


The Goldfinches have arrived, en masse! I still think they should be called Lemon finches. (Spinus tristis). All photos are 1500 x 996, click for full size.

Gold1

Gold2

© C. Ford. All rights reserved.

Comments

  1. Kengi says

    Our goldfinches are gone. Two years ago we had tons. Last year they were few. This year, none.

  2. Kengi says

    Instead of goldfinches, we had three vultures in our backyard early yesterday morning.

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/kengi2000/27196194321/

    Looks like they were molting and picking out the white fluffy feathers from their body.

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/kengi2000/27196192151/

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/kengi2000/27196196461/

    When a good breeze came by, they would open their wings and let it blow away some of the molting feathers.

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/kengi2000/26660141913/

  3. says

    Goldfinches went missing here last year, but they are in force this year.

    Ooooh, vultures! I love vultures. There are three or so who live close by to us. Fantastic photos, Kengi!

  4. Kengi says

    Glad to hear your goldfinches came back after a year off. Hopefully next year we’ll get ours back as well. At some point this year I’ll probably give up putting out fresh niger seed bags.

    Yeah, vultures are great. (Of course, I can’t think of a bird I don’t like, so…) I love those golden-brown feathers.

  5. scottbelyea says

    “…they should be called Lemon finches”

    Naaah. They should be called black-winged yellow birds, just as scarlet tanagers ought to be called black-winged red birds.

    We have two pairs … well, at least two pairs that visit regularly. I know there are at least twp pairs because two males don’t do well side by side nibbling niger seed.

  6. says

    Scottbelyea:

    black-winged red birds.

    Can’t have that because red-winged blackbirds. I would be forever tongue tied. :D

  7. scottbelyea says

    Three vultures! We can’t claim even one. Fascinating birds. We’re just north of Toronto, and have seen a considerable increase in turkey vultures in recent years (following the road kill north, apparently). They’re particularly noticeable along the Niagara escarpment, which is excellent soaring terrain.

    I recall a poster popular in university dorm rooms some years back -- two vultures perched on a large cactus in the desert, with one saying to the other, “Patience, my ass … I’m going out there to kill something!”

  8. Saad says

    Love that first picture! The stance of the bird gives it a sense of action. And that yellow is just gorgeous!

  9. says

    Saad, thanks! That yellow is really something, you always notice it, even when it’s more “what was that yellow streak in the sky” than bird.

  10. Ice Swimmer says

    Good-looking birds. The first picture has a slight oil-painting feel to it, which I like.

    I guess you could make a gold alloy (maybe 60 -- 95 % gold and more silver than copper for the balance) that would be the same colour as a goldfinch.

Leave a Reply