During this time of year, many of the summer birds are finishing up nesting and raising their young. Robins are just about done. I still have a nest at the lake with babies that will be flying soon—I hope they make it to adulthood. I have eight bluebird eggs being incubated and four new chicks. There are also baby wrens near the front porch to entertain me.
It’s been just about too warm to sit outside and enjoy yourself. The humidity in the Midwest is beyond uncomfortable right now, although we’ve been blessed with plenty of rain—around seven inches in July alone.
As Elsie and I were riding the trails the other day, we spotted many American Goldfinches in the cornfields, feeding on the tassels. They’re late nesters, so they’re just getting ready to start. When the purple blooms of the thistle explode into downy fluff, goldfinches know it’s time to build a nest.
In July or August, after most birds have raised their families, the male goldfinch courts a plain greenish-yellow female. They break up into nesting pairs, choose a home site, and build a nest. It may be on a tree branch, hidden in bushes or thickets, or even in dense weeds—always near wild thistles or cattails. The female weaves a tight cup, edges it with small strips of bark, and binds the fibers together with silken thread. She adds a comforter of thistledown on which to lay four to six pale blue eggs. After about 15 days, the chicks are feathered and ready to leave the nest.
Goldfinches live mostly on hard seeds. As winter approaches, the males trade their bright yellow coats for more olive-drab plumage. In winter, it’s hard to tell a male from a female. They overwinter here in the Midwest, foraging for weed seeds and visiting feeders, often staying in thickets and pine forests. Their beautiful song stands out among the feeder birds.
Stay cool this next week. Until next time—good birdwatching!
