Subject: The week of the Goldfinch

I've had goldfinches around all summer, up to a dozen around the Fourth of
July week (when the Lesser Goldfinch was at my feeder), but this weekend was
REALLY busy in Duvall. Had 27 American Goldfinches (and two Pine Siskins) at
the same time on Sunday afternoon. Lots of juveniles (I think a second brood,
too), and of course the bright yellow males are dulling down fast now. Can
autumn be far off?

I have flocks of winged pigs disguised as Goldfinches in my garden
stipping the sunflowers of seeds. I have been enjoying looking out
the window and seeing notches tails up in the air as they bend down
and over the edge of the sunflower heads to feed. They eat amazing
amounts of seed, and just when I think they are full, they move down
to the cosmos flower seed heads and really stuff themselves.
Clarice Clark
jbroadus at seanet.com
Puyallup, WA. 98371