I’ve just recently started as the Resident Land Steward at Faville Grove Sanctuary, and one of the first birds to welcome me was the American Goldfinch. As we moved in, I watched as a group of fifteen or so energetically flitted from the two junipers in front of my new residence to the long stands of sawtooth sunflower, field thistle, and cup-plant that line Prairie Lane. Fall winds rustled while cheery perchickory’s and quieter twee-twee’s sang out from the bountiful prairie and savanna as the goldfinches set about their harvest. This provided a subtle but vibrant soundtrack for the transition into my new home and position. While I’m very appreciative of the goldfinches’ warm welcome and the beauty that now surrounds me, I consider the Goldfinch to be a worthy and fierce competitor this time of year. I’ll explain.
Goldfinches on rosinweed, photo by Arlene Koziol
As the temperatures drop off, and prairie plants cure under a crisper sun, we’re in full-swing of fall seed collection at Faville Grove, and goldfinches are in full-swing of fall seed eating. This means we frequently find ourselves crossing paths with them in our search of native seed, and the goldfinch often wins out.
Goldfinch on field thistle, photo by Arlene Koziol
Goldfinches are later nesters than most of the Sanctuary’s songbirds, usually nesting late July through September. This is in part because of their granivorous diet, consisting mainly in seeds, which are far more abundant in the late summer and fall. The bloom of native and invasive thistles each summer begins the nesting process for most Goldfinches, who feed the seeds to their chicks and use the downy fluff of the seed for nest building. They may eat insects during early summer, and will eat buds, twigs, bark, and sap in addition to their seed staples. It pays to have a varied diet high in seeds, grains, fruits and nuts, and goldfinches know this better than any of us.
Goldfinch on wild bergamot, photo by Arlene Koziol
It is no rare occurrence this time of year to find ourselves attempting to collect the seeds of various Silphiums, sunflowers and native thistles only to find that the goldfinches have beaten us to it and taken the lion’s share. We can do nothing but salute their timeliness, and collect what we can as we lag behind them. These goldfinches are experienced harvesters, and the ancient rhythms of the land don’t typically wait for the well-intentioned but tardy seed collector.
Ever-vigilant, photo by Arlene Koziol
It’s been a great first couple of weeks at Faville Grove Sanctuary following the goldfinches around, and I’m very excited to be taking on the role of steward for these important lands that so many wonderful birds, plants and critters call home. These goldfinches haven’t seen the last of me, and if I ever beat them to it, I’ll be sure to leave some seed.
Written by Tucker Sanborn, land steward at Badgerland Bird Alliance’s Faville Grove Sanctuary
Cover photo by Mick Thompson
