Goldfinch baby

[OBie]

Well, I was trying to be good today - my day off - and get things done, when I looked out the window and saw a Rose Breasted Grosbeak. I haven't seen one of those in years. So I grab the camera, tripod, etc. and head outside to wait. Along comes the cutest little goldfinch I've ever seen. I was so engrossed with taking his picture that a Great Heron could've landed on my deck and I wouldn't have noticed. He let me get pretty close towards the end.

He was working very hard to get the seeds open. So hard that he had to take a short nap on the feeder! (#1) Then he woke up, hopped around the deck, checked things out, and then down to the lawn. I never saw any parents around, nor heard them calling, so I hope he'll be OK - he seemed to be struggling and not a very good flier yet.

(The orange triangle in the upper left corner of #2 & 3 is a pot on the deck)

[OBie]

Here's one more . . .

[paulnj]

Being as goldfinches are still migrating through your state ;) Nice molting female goldfinch you have there

Gold finches are the latest nesting bird and it's rare to see them even nesting as early as late may ;)

[Bevb]

Obie they are great! i have been trying hard to get a shot of an adult goldfinch, they are in groups and very shy here, are they the same as your goldfinches? the ones we have have little red heads and black masks, iv never seen a chick before to compare?

[paulnj]

Do a google search of american goldfich, fledgling american gold finch and european goldfich. You will see the difference between the american and european goldfinches(we also have lesser and lawrence's goldfinches in the southwestern US ).

This is , as I stated above, a molting into breeding plumage female american goldfinch .