Finches

When San posted that the American Goldfinch was our bird of the week, I just knew this was going to be a real easy one.  I have three thistle feeders each can feed 8 birds right outside my kitchen window and I have American Goldfinch at the feeders on a daily basis 365 days a year.  At times with a bird at each post and others waiting in the wings to feed as well.

But wouldn't you know it.  The time frame I have in the morning to spot and  hear a bird song is very short.  And every single day this week there have been House Finches at my feeder and the females are quite vocal.  So try as I might in the morning no Goldfinches. 


The other day while watching my Finches, I actually had a pretty rare sighting.  There was a red finch, but it looked different from the House Finches I normally have at my feeder. The finch was kind enough to take his time feeding at the thistle feeder, so I was able to memorize his colorings and get my handy field guide and look him up.  Now  I was hoping it was a Purple Finch, and it was much to my happy surprise.

I have never in my entire life seen a Purple Finch, they are rarer to spot in our neck of the woods than the the more common House Finch. 

Now when you look at these pictures, you may think they are the same bird, but the color patterns are decidedly different.  The Purple Finches head is entirely red, and the red fades into the entire breast area.

So it pays to be aware of our birds, you never know what you might spot if you take the time to study them.