YOUNG GOLDFINCH

I could have added this sighting to my original Goldfinch post (or the one with the rather blurred photos taken through a rainy telescope), but thought this one deserved a post of its own.

After returning from a run round the rec this morning, I bumped into (quite literally!) a young (recently-fledged) Goldfinch, sitting on our back gate in the rain.

I assume its parents were teaching it that if it wanted any food, it could do worse than visit our Ethiopian Thistle Seed Feeder!

Unfortunately, I scared it I think, and after getting inside, I couldn't see it again, before I left for work.

Young Goldfinches lack their parents' bold black and crimson facial plumage - looking rather drab in comparison, but their bright yellow (gold) wing-flashes are very apparent early on in life, as this showed.

I only saw one young Goldfinch, but I assume others are around, even after this terrible weather!

NB. Photo NOT mine. I'll get some more film in the camera when I can, and see what I can do...

NB. 31/05/07 - Sitting in the spare bedroom writing about snails, and watching TWO fledgling Goldfinches watch one of their parents on our Thistle Seed Feeder! They seem very unsteady on landing (like our baby Blue Tits), but are managing (just) to land on the feeder and get some scran. Really nice to see - We're so glad our feeder has attracted the birds that we wanted to attract. I must re-erect the hide and grab some photos of them...