Love those Goldfinches

by Deb
(Lancaster, MA, USA)

I've known about Goldfinches since I was a child, but it wasn't until I moved to a rural area, where I got to truly enjoy them.

We live in north central Massachusetts, and Goldfinches are seasonal, as I soon learned. In the summer months, they are no where to be found. Then as it started to get cooler, with fall approaching, I started to see them. They were coming to my sunflower feeders in small numbers. By the first snow, I could sit at my picture window and count them, up to 20 and 30 at a time. It wasn't until I got myself a bird book, did I realize that I wasn't just looking at all females - males loose their beautiful yellow for winter. So, I became hooked. Each morning, whether it be below zero or snowing, I would go out with Nyjer and sunflower seeds to feed my "birdies" because they would be in the trees waiting for me.

Now it is approaching summer, and I have only 1 pair left. I expect them to leave for the summer, too. I look forward to fall again, when they will come back. They are a wonderful addition to all my other backyard friends: The chickadees, nuthatches, downy, red bellied and hairy woodpeckers.