Wild Canaries at Col Sam Smith: September 2022

I have often heard people refer to American Goldfinches as “Wild Canaries.” Males in summer are resplendent in brilliant yellow, accented with a black cap and with the black wing and tail with flashes of white.

American Goldfinch (male)
American Goldfinch (male)

Goldfinch diet consists mainly of seeds and I saw about 2 dozen of them at Col. Sam Smith Park harvesting seeds from Knapweed and other plants.

American Goldfinch (female)
American Goldfinch (female)
American Goldfinch (female)
American Goldfinch (female)
American Goldfinch (female)
American Goldfinch (male)
American Goldfinch (male)
American Goldfinch (female)
American Goldfinch (male)
American Goldfinch

Other birds:

Red-necked Grebe
Canada Geese
Canada Geese
Canada Goose
Ring-billed Gull
Canada Goose and Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher (female)
Black-crowned Night Heron (juvenile)

Some botany:

Phragmites (Phragmites australis)
Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia virgata)
Plumeless Thistle (Carduus acanthoides)
Brome Grass (Bromus inermis)

NATURE POETRY

The air is aglow with the glint and whirl
Of swift wild wings in their homeward flight,
Sapphire, emerald, topaz, and pearl.
Afloat in the evening light.                    – Sarojini Naidu (1879–1949)

Miles Hearn

3 thoughts on “Wild Canaries at Col Sam Smith: September 2022

  1. Bea

    Interesting to think of goldfinches as wild canaries but they sure resemble canaries. Great photos of the bright yellow colouring of the male birds…. Almost lift off the page ! I very much enjoy your postings. Thank you.

    Reply

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