August 3, 2026
A juvenile female Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), patiently waiting with others to get a chance to take a dip in the birdbath. As they waited they filled the air with their sweet twittery sounds.
I love to hear that twittering.
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July 16, 2026
The very best of sunflower seeds are the ones that involve getting into an upside down position in order to obtain them. This, a Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) demonstrating.
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June 25, 2026
Delicate looking pink feet clutching the fuzzy stem of what will become a beautiful flower.
A year round resident, a male Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), has about reached its peak breeding season plumage. Captured here clinging to what will become the bloom of Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus Carota).
This flower is an herbaceous biennial that has large umbrella-like clusters of tiny individual flowers, called compound umbels, which are usually 2 to 5 inches across with the look of white lace. This plant is not native, having arrived in the early 1600s, after being brought to our continent by European colonists as a medicinal herb and food source.
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April 4, 2026
Right now I’m seeing many Goldfinches (Spinus tristis) that are looking quite mottled, as a result of molting. Changes in the amount of daylight, and temperature changes, in early spring trigger hormones, causing a partial molt, involving only body feathers, but keeping tail and wing feathers. Males become a more brilliant yellow and females become a more subtle olive-yellow. There is also a change in the color of their feet, legs and beaks, going from a dull brown to orange for the spring and summer seasons.
This molt is the first of two molts that Goldfinches go through. The second occurs between late August and October, and again involves taking hints from the amount of daylight, and temperatures. This one is a complete molt involving all feathers. Warm, strong feathers, for the cold winter, and colors that are not as bright, providing camouflage.
Nature – amazing!
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November 13, 2025
A Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), striking a pose for my camera.
Gregarious little birds gathering, sometimes with many together, to hunt for food. Going from one source of seeds to another with their undulating flight, singing their soft, sweet, “po-ta-to-chip” song as they go.
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June 18, 2025
Goldfinch (Spinus tristis), are here in the mountains of central Virginia year round. They’re strictly seed eaters and I love seeing them coming to the seed heads of flowers in my gardens.
The Goldfinches molt twice a year. As summer moves on they change their bright spring and summer feathers for duller ones to blend in with the dull colors of winter. Fresh feathers come in one by one giving them the look of a worn out quilt. By the end of winter they will be growing in a new set of feathers to start the spring season.
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June 1, 2025
Everyone needs a scarecrow don’t you think? Mine, made of a raincoat, garden gloves, and an old hat. Here he is showing us the view.
And he’s providing a resting place for a Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) who’s enjoying the tour.
At the end of the tour the Goldfinch gets some thistle seed.
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All sorts of hubbub going on with many birds gathering around, going to the suet feeders and the hulled sunflower seeds. The snow triggered a panic it seemed. Not this Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) though. Dressed in its winter outfit the little critter was calmly going from seedhead to seedhead of Gray-headed Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) enjoying the seeds left in the garden just for an adventuresome bird.
I knew that someone would appreciate those seedheads.
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Here’s a Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) enjoying my gardens which have not been cleaned up. All the seedheads are still out there, making those seeds available to birds that are searching for a meal.
Another thing that doesn’t happen in my yard – I never rake leaves. Butterflies, moths, lightning bugs, bees, salamanders, frogs, and even some bats are in the leaves, seeking shelter until spring arrives. Leaving those leaves undisturbed will give those creatures a chance to live through the winter to emerge in the spring.
So much to consider for the sake of Mother Nature. It is my pleasure to help her.
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