Purple Finch Invasion & Flying Lemons
March 21st, 2008 · 9 Comments
Yesterday brought more than just the first day of spring. It also brought a minor invasion of purple finches. I spent the bulk of the sunlight hours assembling a gigantic Mantis ComposTwin compost tumbler, which Josh’s parents generously gave us (they’re excellent boosters of our gardening efforts). At one point, as I was researching a temporary substitute for some required axle grease, which our household does not typically stock, I looked outside and saw several bright raspberry-colored birds. One (above) was lolling about in the grass and enjoying the warm sunshine. I love when birds do that—so cute.
Returning to the backyard, I found a bunch more purple finches along the fence and on the feeder. They’re so much more iridescent and colorful than house finches that it’s a wonder I ever confuse the two. Some of them, like the one here, had a bit more streaking on their sides, which I suppose might make me think house finch if it weren’t for the outrageous overall raspberry hue flashing in the sun.
Male American goldfinches are almost in full breeding plumage. In their summer form I prefer to call them Flying Lemons. My neighbors call forsythias “yellow bells,” so why not make up alternate names? Flying lemon is more accurate than goldfinch anyway, considering the bird is way more lemon-color than gold.
Tags: American Goldfinch · Purple Finch
9 responses so far ↓
1 Mary // Mar 21, 2008 at 11:19 am
Flying lemons! I love that nickname. Yes, they seem to be in full plumage here in Charlotte, too!
Your blog is wonderful. Your photos are superb. Glad I found you through NBN.
Send me some Purple Finches, please?
2 Iris // Mar 21, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Hey Mary, thanks for stopping by! NBN is turning out to be a great way to find kindred bloggers, isn’t it? No more purple finches today, but lots and lots of flying lemons. Maybe the finches are in your yard today. Let’s hope!
3 Jan M // Mar 21, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Send some of those purple finches northward….I haven’t seen any since last fall, and they are so pretty. I used to wonder if some of my house finches were purples, but once I saw one, there was no mistake.
4 Vern // Mar 22, 2008 at 4:53 am
It looks like that Purple Finch on the front of your post is thinking….”Whoa, you taking a picture of me?”
5 Jane R // Mar 22, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Hi Iris! Great photos as always. May I post your spring birds to my blog tomorrow in honor of Easter? I’ll link to you as usual of course and publish the photos with attribution.
Love the Flying Lemons name.
Birds have been singing up a storm here on the Guilford College campus. They are also hopping around the grass like mad in the morning and driving my cat (safely behind the window) crazy. She’s making a lot more little cat guttural sounds while at her “live kitty tv” perch than she was a week ago. Of course, it’s also been the full moon…
6 Iris // Mar 23, 2008 at 9:09 am
Hi Jane, Feel free to link to my post with a text link rather than posting my photos themselves. Thanks for asking! I’m having trouble keeping folks from appropriating my work, which as you know is an ongoing online battle.
I think our old cat has become so jaded after years of “bird tv.” She sits on her tuffet with an imperious air, as if she’s watching over her little fiefdom of birds.
7 Jane R // Mar 28, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Great, I will link. Sorry I haven’t been here in some days — Holy Week and Easter keep Church Ladies like me busy. But I’ve also been listening to lots of birds here on the Guilford campus. They are singing up a storm.
8 Jane R // Mar 28, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Oh, and thanks!
9 Iris // Mar 28, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Hey Jane, I can imagine how busy your days have been! My father-in-law is an Episcopal priest and I see how hectic his schedule is during the holidays. But it’s prime bird-signing season. Make time to enjoy it while you can!