Alas! Mr. Goldfinch

I had featured Mrs. Goldfinch here a few days ago. The female Goldfinches are pretty in their own right, but it is the males that are the real show-stoppers!

After hanging the "thistle sock" outside the bedroom window, I have been entertained by the antics and sometimes wild aggressions of these little yellow birds! Once in while, that sock gets to swinging like a pendulum as three birds perch on it, pecking at one another to assertain just who is the boss! (unfortunately, it oftimes seems the males leave with one female left on the sock!)

Although it is quite easy to photograph the little females, the males were presenting a real challenge! Apparently, the almost *neon* nature of their yellow plumage is hard to capture....especially through a window.

After taking hundreds of photos, only to delete every single one, I pulled out the monopod and by golly, finally got a decent photo! You can still see the yellow "halo" around this lad....

It is wonderful having the sock hanging in such close proximity to the house...these little birds are so very cheerful!