Wednesday, March 18, 2009

You’re a scruffy little goldfinch, aren’t you!

This little fellow looks like he’s in for a wardrobe change. His feathers are getting a bit blotchy and splotchy. He also has bud crumbs all over his little beak.

Ignoring the sunflower seeds, Scruff opted 
instead for a salad of crabapple buds! 

…you could at least wipe your bill, little Scruff!

I always think of American Goldfinches as seed eaters. They hop back and forth between our thistle feeders and visit the platform or tube feeders for sunflower seeds just as often. They also seem to have fun hanging over the side of giant sunflowers pulling out and eating the seeds one by one, or taking apart a black-eyed susan or purple coneflower, but until yesterday, I had never watched one pick apart and eat the green buds on a tree. Our little fellow seemed quite excited munching on the crabapple greenery. He would search out a bud, nip at it until it was gone and then search out another! Definitely a salad lover. I hope I have leaves and flowers on this tree later in the spring!

9 comments:

Laure Ferlita said...

How sad! He looks like he had a very rough winter! Hope Spring brings a bright new coat!

Shelley said...

Cute photos of your scruffy guy! He needs to head to the dry cleaners! LOL!

Roy said...

Poor little guy! You caught him in mid molt; how embarrassing.

Kim said...

I love all of the yellow he has. Ours are not that colrful yet. So cute eating the little buds off of your tree!

Jayne said...

It is so fun to see them dressed in such a splotched fashion as they molt. They do adapt for sure. The birds I'd never ever find at a peanut feeder are doing their best to eat off mine since the other feeders are down for a while.

Warren Baker said...

Don't worry, There will be plenty of buds left for flowes and blooms, nature alwys provides plentifully!

Chris said...

Hi,
These are nice pictures. I love them. Although, yeh, Shelley is right this guy need to go to the dry cleaner!!

Nick S said...

He'll soon be back to his normal bright yellow coat. He's i na kind of moult right now :-)

Kelly said...

Thanks, guys! I love watching the goldfinches transform from drab winter plumage to brilliant spring/summer yellow. Each day they seem to be a little brighter!