You can hear their rolling, melodious conversation emanating from the sky. The gregarious finches have arrived. Undulating golden streaks descend into the golden grass. American goldfinches are feeding in the prairie. They arrived last night from the north at the behest of the first frosts. Their presence animates the landscape. Goldfinches live in small groups during the summer, and those groups coalesce into large flocks in the fall. Being with the finches immerses you in a web of social bonds. They serenade you with contact calls.
Ah, beautiful, and important. How to save the biosphere by letting allowing room in the world for native plants and the birds (and others) who rely on them. Thank you for your contribution. Also, it's such a pleasure to see your wonderful photos.
Exquisite. Happy sigh. Thank you SO much for sharing these experiences. (Birds and animals seem very attuned to gentle souls. You and I are very blessed.)
So lovely! I've also found that birds will approach much more closely if I'm already there than when I try (however carefully) to approach. They also seem to have a bit of an expectation of things that humans do - for example, my three kids like to climb trees, and birds of all kinds will often approach very close to them. I think the context of being in the tree removes the bird's suspicion! There's also just something about kids, in a way - my youngest daughter regularly has squirrels or chipmunks just come right up to her in the woods. The nuance of this very-real-and-observable variation in the reactions and "personalities" of wild creatures is endlessly fascinating to me.
Marvelous. Thank you for writing so beautifully and sharing with us. There is so much wisdom in your words, Bill.
Ah, beautiful, and important. How to save the biosphere by letting allowing room in the world for native plants and the birds (and others) who rely on them. Thank you for your contribution. Also, it's such a pleasure to see your wonderful photos.
Nicely done.
Exquisite. Happy sigh. Thank you SO much for sharing these experiences. (Birds and animals seem very attuned to gentle souls. You and I are very blessed.)
So lovely! I've also found that birds will approach much more closely if I'm already there than when I try (however carefully) to approach. They also seem to have a bit of an expectation of things that humans do - for example, my three kids like to climb trees, and birds of all kinds will often approach very close to them. I think the context of being in the tree removes the bird's suspicion! There's also just something about kids, in a way - my youngest daughter regularly has squirrels or chipmunks just come right up to her in the woods. The nuance of this very-real-and-observable variation in the reactions and "personalities" of wild creatures is endlessly fascinating to me.
My kind of birding! Thanks, Bill!
This is one of the best Substack posts I have ever read. Thank you for the beautiful pictures and allowing us into your world.
Thank you for sharing what you see and your wonderful talents with us. I feel blessed to have read this post this morning.
Your articles are like prayers. I WILL be sharing them with my church. Love you, Bill!