Saturday, June 7, 2008

Goldfinches!




As you can tell, I'm no Abe Lincoln (the one who blogs and takes marvelous bird photos.) but at least you can see the little yellow splotch on the seed sock.
















These are the first gold finches to visit our yard in over a year. I was so pleased to see them after waiting all this time!











They are the Lesser Goldfinch. Their back is green and they have the little black hat but their front is definitely gold.














A few years ago I was feeding the birds regularly and at that time I would get as many as twenty goldfinches at a time. I had four socks with thistle seed hanging up for them.

Then one day I saw a big hawk sitting on the wall not ten feet away from the socks. He was hiding behind the bushes and I know he was looking for a meal of goldfinch. So from that day I stopped feeding the finches. Now, maybe the hawk has forgotten. I hope.

9 comments:

claude said...

I think everyone is happy to see some beautiful birds in the backyard. Last summer golfinhces mada a nest in our cherrytree and they were 5 babies.
You can use the zomm of your camera to shot closer.
I am very glad and proud everyone liked my post about D-Day. Thansk to your husband's grandfather I am french.

Anonymous said...

I like your gold finches. I think they are just as nice as mine. The only difference is size.

The hawks are beautiful birds and only eat to stay alive. They only eat once a day and sometimes only once in two or three days.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

These pictures are wonderful!

Betty F said...

Oh NO. Poor little birds. I love the photos. and Henrietta's story too.

duopastorale said...

Pretty little birds!

Jose said...

LOL - Yeap, I had to get my magnifyinig glass to see it. Hi Chris, I'm back.

Gudl said...

I would be happy,too, to have gold finches at my feeder!

Wanda said...

Did you make the socks, or do you buy them special for the birdseed.

I am interested in having more birds visit my back yard.

I like your pictures ~~

LOL:)

ChrisJ said...

Where have you been Jose? I'd given up seeing a new blog from you. I have a photo I am going to post just for you.

Wanda: I buy the socks from the bird shop, they are or were -- $4.95 each.

The kind of seed gold finches like is thistle seed. It lasts quite a while. However I have been buying 'no mess' shelled sun flower seeds and all the birds seem to like that-- and so they should at nearly $30 a twenty pound bag!!... even if it does last a couple of months.

I guess I'm going to have to get a new camera if I want better close-ups than these.