[va-richmond-general] Re: Something funny
- From: "Bob Reilly" <rjreilly@xxxxxxx>
- To: <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 2 May 2004 13:32:56 -0400
Irene,
If the four in the dish were brownish with buffy wingbars and heavily
streaked, then they could have been juveniles, as the house finch starts
breeding very early. There are egg records from Fairfax and Lynchburg on
March 30-31 and Winchester and Arlington records of March 16th. It is very
unlikely that such early juveniles would be done with their postjuvenal molt
yet, but certainly possible that they could have started it and thus be
showing some signs of color etc. Some house finches are suspected of
undergoing a complete postjuvenal molt so that by, say the end of May, they
could be essentially indistinguishable from adults in the field. Failing
that, I'm don't have any knowledge of whether house finches retain family
grouping into the spring with the young from last year still begging off the
adults. Wouldn't seem to be out of the question in a non-migratory species.
Look closer at the plumages and note whether any feather groups appear to be
coming in.
Bob
----- Original Message -----
From: "IE Ries" <FEATHERCHASER@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "AudubonList" <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2004 12:47 PM
Subject: [va-richmond-general] Something funny
> In between chores and keeping my indoor birds entertained, I have been
watching my backdoor feeders. There's something I can't quite figure out,
so if you're knowledgeable about House Finches, please feel free to
theorize.
> I have a platform feeder hanging on a tripod chain (and out of the reach
of enterprising tree rodentia), and it's filled with a "woodpecker mix" of
hulled safflower and sunflower, peanuts, and some dried raisins and cherries
or something like that. About 5 House Finches flew onto it, and then I
noticed that 4 of them were sitting in the dish (of food), while one stood
on the rim, selected a morsel, and then stuffed it into the beaks of the 4
others, who were doing all the classic "I'm a hungry baby bird, feed me"
antics with shivering winges, opening beak, and almost laying down.
>
> What did I just see? Did a House Finch bring over a family for a feeding?
Isn't it a bit early for them to be feathered and flighted??
>
> On the Hummingbird/Goldfinch front, yesterday I secured Chinese "silk"
flowers and attached them to the shepard's hook. I also put a thistle
feeder in a low-hanging branch of the maple that just a few feet away, and
yesterday I did see several kinds of finches over there, on and off. Will
keep watching...and hoping!
>
> Thanks again to all the folks with Hummer feeder suggestions.
>
> Irene in Southside
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