Goldfinches & Gardens

I like to encourage birds in the gardens. Finches gather at feeders placed in iris patches & other strategic spots. These are permanent, year-around visitors. They withstand some of the most bitter, snowy and frigid weather in winter months. And their songs and calls are like tiny orchestras playing among the irises and feeders. Who would not appreciate these colorful little bits of energy? Photos to follow.

Here are some pictures showing their feeding habits.If you are able listen to their song in this link.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/...

This is the photo the banner came from.

This one shows a flock of five feeding.

Here is a group of three including a House Finch.

Leon,

Wonderful and beautiful pics and banner! We love the goldfinches! Thank you for posting your wonderful, clear and sharp pics! Sweet little birds that bring alot of joy year round! I leave the coneflowers with the dried cones for them to feed from (like little feeders). Happy to see them feeding from them, as well as, zinnia flower petals!

We've been feeding songbirds year round on the ground and in feeders, since Dec. 2000. In addition, hummingbirds get their 6 feeders spring through early fall or when we don't see any of them anymore.

Outstanding banner and pictures of those beautiful birds, Leon!

Thanks Marilyn & Frenchy
Ours love sunflower seeds too (as do other birds). Here are a couple of scenes where they share with others.

Feeding on sunflower seeds here.

Here the weather is bitter & snowy, This one feeds on a mix of seeds.

Leon,

More great bird pics! Thank you for sharing them!

Such beautiful birds! You take great pictures Leon!

A gardener, farmer, bird aficionado, photographer, writer and probably master of many other talents that we will discover as time goes on. Leon, you are one talented gentleman. So glad you're sharing all of that with us. Great banner!!

Excellent banner Leon!

awesome bird pics Leon! They are so fortunate to have you

I agree with all! Wonderful photos, outstanding banner. And it totally made my day.

Thank you Leon for sharing your part of the world with us.

I love finches and your photos are wonderful. Goldfinches come round here about November and then leave for a few weeks in January. Then they return, the males get their coloring, and they're gone by Mothers' Day. I've been seeing a lot of house finches lately. They've been hanging with the cardinals at one of the feeders. Regardless, I'd never be able to take pictures of them.

Thanks for the link to their song. It's such a sweet sound.

A very nice banner of our feathered friends, Leon.

We have active feeders up nearly year around with only the hottest of summer months where we remove them for deep cleaning and repair. Repairs mostly caused by tree rats, but we do attempt to accommodate all of our creatures of the wood. Currently we are maintaining 10-12 hummingbird feeders. Gallons of sugary sweet water to keep the little gems buzzing around.

Leon ~ Wonderful pictures, banner...and bird house. Did you make that, too? for sharing your talents and joy with all of us!

Wow. How very nice!! Great banner.

At the risk of posting off topic I will post one other photo. But first I am overwhelmed by your thoughtfulness, wonderful comments, and so many thumbs and acorns. I am humbled by your responses. It is so nice to see this kind of interest in the birds of our gardens. Please accept my deepest gratitude for your support and involvement.

Here is the last photo (or two) for this thread. Pictured below are baby chipping sparrows which nest in our honeysuckles and shrubs all summer long. The expanded pictures are roughly five to six times life size; and these babies are smaller than the first joint of my little finger. I had to zoom quite a distance in order not to disturb. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/...

Special thanks for all the thumbs; @bumplbea, @capenancy, @dirtdorphins, @evelyninthegarden, @Fleur569, @Frenchy21, @GaNinFl, @GrammaChar, @greenappleagnes, @greene, @JHeirloomSeeds, @jmorth, @krobra, @Marilyn, @Mutisia, @Newyorkrita, @plantmanager, @slowcala, @tx_flower_child, @vic, @Whitebeard, @wildflowers, @William and @Zuzu

And special thanks for all the acorns; @Capenancy, @evelyninthegarden, @Fleur569, @greene, @greenappleagnes, @Marilyn, @tx_flower_child, @William

Love the fact that you have those birds nesting. I love birds around the garden. It adds so much life to the plants and flowers.

Rita, yes they do and they also eat a lot of insects which helps gardeners.

'At the risk of posting off topic I will post one other photo.'

Not OT and not a risk. Those are wonderful pictures and I gave you a pie for posting them.

It must be such a joy to be able to see those little babies. I have no idea where the birds that come to my feeders are nesting.

When I was listening to the goldfinch singing via the link you provided, I scrolled a little further down. I was curious since 'your' goldfinches stay all year whereas 'mine' come and go. So anyway, I saw the little video of the acrobatic finch. In the past I would hang a mesh type net with nyger and watch as 4 or 5 little acrobats would be all over it. For anyone that has not yet pulled up that link, I encourage y'all to do so.

Thanks TX. The babies are so precious and we have the little chippers all over the property almost in every tree or bush. We have a lot of trees and shrubs on our property which attract a lot of different birds And we always get the winter snow birds from up in Canada. Here is a story you might be interested in. It's true and I hope you won't be bored by it because it is so simple. https://garden.org/blogs/entry...