It is definitely fall. You know this because the world sounds right now like a squeaky-toy quality testing facility staffed by dozens of sugar-amp’d three year olds.
I am referring to the most annoying bird of the season, baby Goldfinches.
Goldfinches are not your most intelligent of winged-critters. They hurl themselves at just about every window of the house, for example. But the babies… have a relentless squeak in the relentless pursuit of their parents.
The baby is perched on top, squeaking at dad, below.
Dumb, but not silent. And very single-minded, does junior harass the parent.
When dad is in range, junior hunkers down and flutters his wings.
This one almost needs a caption call.
“An an an andthenIdid THIS! an an an look! an… then… an… I did THIS!….!”
The Goldfinches were very successful nesters this year. The air is full of this incessant squeaky-toy sound right now. Enough to drive you nuts.
In the meantime, the last of the Grosbeaks have moved through.
There are all sorts of other flying critters as well.
And this Nuthatch has a really nice seed! They have been getting a bit feisty.
The birds, not the seeds.
The Nuthatches and the Chickadees will soon band together for the winter.
I haven’t seen many Chickadees lately. I think this is the time of year they go on a Mediterranean cruise.
But they’ll be back.
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It might be Fall but it was 90 degrees today here.
This is a warm Fall.
The leaves are as green as ever.
Fr. Z. I wonder if the fire/smoke will force the birds south earlier than norm??
The European Goldfinch is a separate species Carduelis carduelis rather than Carduelis tristis. The collective noun for Goldfinch here is ‘ a charm’. Much less noisy. Just saying.
chiners: Yes, we know all about Carduelis carduelis. This is the one I have referred to here many times as the Christological Goldfinch. Check out some of my Feeder Feed “museum” editions.
Wow, those rose-breasted grosbeaks are knockouts – even in their scruffy late-season plumage. We don’t get those often out West – a few here and there during spring migration. When I left my folks’ home in northeastern NM (Rockies meet Great Plains habitat), the evening grosbeaks were going through sunflower seed like they were starving.
Ah, the Feeder Feed! Got to love the baby goldfinch – he is very cute. I say the chickadees would be smart to go on a Mediterranean cruise -would go myself if I could afford it….those lucky birds!
Highly annoying? If you lived in an area where you routinely heard boomboxes and sirens, you might feel differently about the noise of the baby Goldfinches. The squeaking that accompanies their begging is one of my favorite sounds of summer, right up there with hearing the crickets chirp at night.
I just love it when you post the bird photos. My mother was an enthusiastic bird watcher. Although here in Woodside, Queens, we don’t get any birds more exotic than Mourning Doves, maybe as the seasons change, we’ll see some pretty birds fly through. Next time you’re in the City Father, why not come out to Queens and bless our home and a new bird feeder! Our bird seed ball was finished off by sparrows and squirrels.
Thank you for posting the the great photos, Fr. Z. Are the Goldfinches eating sunflower seed? I recently put out a hanging tray feeder with sunflower seed for the Cardinals, but sadly I found a little dead Goldfinch in the tray the other day. I hope it wasn’t the seed that caused it.
The butterfly and bee pictures are great, too. I thought I had a field guide for butterflies, but no luck. I wonder what kind it is? I enjoyed your almost Autumn edition from the Feeder Feed.
wanda,
At least he died happy! :-D
Seriously, our goldfinches gorge themselves on black oil sunflower seed and are none the worse for it, so it must have been something else that killed the little fellow.
Sometimes we will see all the goldfinches on the big feeder full of sunflower seed, while 3-4 cardinals are clinging desperately to the little finch feeder and gobbling thistle seed as fast as they can.
“This one almost needs a caption call.”……..it’s almost as if the birdie is saying “But Father…..But Father”
[ROFL! Touché!]
Nice pictures, Father Z! Especially of the butterflies and the bees! Beautiful closeups!
Are you in any danger from the wildfire in Minnesota?
Your photos are beautiful Father, and I love the cheeky youngsters!
They are precious! My hummingbirds have flown away and the feeder looks so forlorn. I would love to do a regular bird feeder but for a little thing called a BEAR who likes to roam the neighborhood. Birds, butterflies and dragonflies never fail to entertain.
As always, thank you for the pictures of God’s little creatures. Love that caption, gave me a big chuckle. That kind of pose never ceases to remind me of hand raising our beautiful little parrot. Too bad I never got pictures of the feedings! He had to go live elsewhere after a few years when he got too noisy and I miss him to this day. (Screamed all day and turned out he needed a mate.)
Well, I thought our little guys were done, but, today, with the a/c broken, I’ve had the windows open. They’ve been squeaking all day. Every time I hear them, I pray for you!
No grosbeaks, yet and we still have 2 hummers eating like they are starving. AnneG in NC