The grapefruit tree in Dad's backyard was alive with purpley house finches this weekend.
The attraction was a feeder filled with sunflower seeds and the birds wasted no time in stripping the nutritious meats from the shells. When the flock landed, I oozed myself out on to the deck and into a pink plastic chair near the feeder. They fluttered up into the citrus trees chattering and fussing, but I sat still and soon they returned.
These guys were like machines as they opened sunflower seeds, one after another.
The video below shows the basic technique.
11 comments:
Finches are neat. We have those plus the yellow ones which are sooo bright this time of year!
We have some of those bright yellow with balck trim versions around here, at least until winter hits!
Those look more like the House Finches to me. Here in Tennessee, they far outnumber Purple Finches too. We also have a bunch of the Gold Finches.
I get such a thrill watching the birds that visit my feeders. The process is so natural and yet so scientific (seemingly). So glad you had such a great showing at your place. I do think these could possibly be house finches... they are easily confused look alikes.
Meems @ For the Love of Florida
FC,
Those are just squirrel feeders at my house. Dadgum yard rats I tell ya.
Thanks for sharing, love the video.
Billy
I don't know that I've ever seen the purple finches. We have the yellow ones here in NJ. I haven't used the bird feeders here in a long time. It seems to bring out too many squirrels and raccoons. Oh well.
Just chiming in with the other folks that these are House finches.
Purple finch would be a big deal in Florida-lots of people would want to visit your folks' yard (me included!)
Ya know, I had a feeling they might be house finches, but I plunged ahead ...
Thanks for the correction!!!
It looks like those finches have a case of conjunctivitis. Maybe Julie Z. can tell for sure.
Caroline,
I almost mentioned their bleary eyes, but I thought it was just me.
It has been a post of almosts.
Sometimes their eyes get funny looking around the edges when they molt. These look like "first season" house finches just getting their first full color. I'm happy to see them here on your post because I miss them so. Up north we had purple, house, gold...There's a wonderful book called The Beak of the Finch written by a couple who spent some years studying finches in the Galapagos on a remote island. They could actually watch evolution in action as the finch's beaks changed to adapt to specific seed types.
Birders are kind of obsessive, ya know.
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