[mou] Goldfinch feeding young
Dennis/Barbara Martin
dbmartin@skypoint.com
Fri, 13 Oct 2006 15:32:17 -0500
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This is the normal time of year to see young goldfinches. Our feeders =
have just recently started to go down faster as the seed consumption has =
risen.
Historically American goldfinches nest in the last summer. The timing =
is the result of their natural foods becoming more available in the =
fall. This would include thistles and other weeds that mature =
(producing the seeds) in the fall. These plants tend to dry out this =
time of year, when they quit growing. The seed then becomes something =
that the birds like.
As the population increases in the coming few weeks our purchased =
thistle (not a true thistle seed, but a excellent substitute) =
consumption will increase by 10 fold or more as the number of birds =
grows at as amazing number. Currently we probably have about 10 =
goldfinches around at the highest count during the day. By the end of =
November and into the early part of the winter we will record counts of =
50 or more for several weeks in a row. When you include the Pine =
Siskins, House Finches (who occasionally seem to eat thistle at that =
time of year), and the every few years invasion of redpolls, our =
consumption of thistle and thistle/sunflower chip mix grows to about 20 =
pounds a week or more if we get snow. The snow covers up more natural =
vegetation and so more feeder activity.
We have been part of Project Feederwatch since the inception and =
actually have actual counts of at least twice a month going back 17 =
years showing the weekly growth in the number of birds. Obviously the =
number of birds has increased over the years as more bird families have =
learned about our overly extravagant back yard but the pattern has =
remained unchanged over all those years.
Dennis and Barbara Martin
dbmartin@skypoint.com
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<DIV>This is the normal time of year to see young goldfinches. Our =
feeders=20
have just recently started to go down faster as the seed consumption has =
risen.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Historically American goldfinches nest in the last summer. =
The timing=20
is the result of their natural foods becoming more available in the =
fall. =20
This would include thistles and other weeds that mature (producing the =
seeds) in=20
the fall. These plants tend to dry out this time of year, when =
they quit=20
growing. The seed then becomes something that the birds =
like.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> As the population increases in the coming few weeks our =
purchased=20
thistle (not a true thistle seed, but a excellent =
substitute) consumption=20
will increase by 10 fold or more as the number of birds grows =
at as=20
amazing number. Currently we probably have about 10 goldfinches =
around at=20
the highest count during the day. By the end of November and into =
the=20
early part of the winter we will record counts of 50 or more for several =
weeks=20
in a row. When you include the Pine Siskins, House Finches (who=20
occasionally seem to eat thistle at that time of year), and the every =
few years=20
invasion of redpolls, our consumption of thistle and thistle/sunflower =
chip mix=20
grows to about 20 pounds a week or more if we get snow. The snow =
covers up=20
more natural vegetation and so more feeder activity.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>We have been part of Project Feederwatch since the inception and =
actually=20
have actual counts of at least twice a month going back 17 years showing =
the=20
weekly growth in the number of birds. Obviously the number of =
birds has=20
increased over the years as more bird families have learned about our =
overly=20
extravagant back yard but the pattern has remained unchanged over all =
those=20
years.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dennis and Barbara Martin<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:dbmartin@skypoint.com">dbmartin@skypoint.com</A></DIV></BO=
DY></HTML>
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