Friday, November 15, 2019

A Finch Invasion

Returning to our Littleton farm piece of cake this afternoon, I stepped from my pickup in addition to was struck past times the sum of chirping that arose from the canopy of i of our large Siberian elms; the root of the vibrations was a large flock of American goldfinches (18 past times my count).  Of course, I went inward to catch my binoculars for a closer await in addition to returned to detect that the flock had scattered to a grove of piƱon pines.

Taking a seat, I watched the brightly colored finches motion amidst the trees in addition to was shortly aware that they were joined past times a one-half dozen lesser goldfinches, 8 pino siskins in addition to at to the lowest degree twelve family finches, non to refer the chickadees, bushtits in addition to a lonely red-breasted nuthatch that were drawn to the scene.  In addition, piece I was focused on the finch invasion, I was pleased to listen the familiar buzzy whistle of a broad-tailed hummingbird every bit it looped nigh the farm, the showtime of the season.

No doubt, the flock of American goldfinches, permanent residents along the Front Range urban corridor, had picked upwards the pino siskins every bit they moved through the area; the latter birds volition shortly provide to the foothills where they volition nest in addition to heighten their immature earlier wintertime atmospheric condition drives them downwards to lower elevations.  The family finches in addition to lesser goldfinches, permanent residents on the farm, exactly joined inward the feeding frenzy when the nomads arrived.  While none of these finches are rare or fifty-fifty uncommon, I cannot yell back closed to other fourth dimension (on this farm or elsewhere) when I encountered in addition to then many inward i house at the same time; it was a exceptional process to sentry in addition to head to their activity.

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