Something's up with finches? I've watched my Goldfinch horde increase from
12 this morning to 24 just now. They're veloci-finches, attacking each
other, standing up to a male Cardinal, and seem to have driven off the House
Finches, which were dominant until a few days ago. I think the GF's have
actually exceeded the HF's in pugnacity and bad table manners (but they're
cuter). Most of them seem pretty new - fluffy and quite tolerant of my
presence a few feet away. I don't recall ever seeing GF fledglings being fed
though (doesn't mean I didn't; just that I don't remember). Are they
independent quickly, like before they show up at feeders?

Last fall the GF population on my balcony was only a pair and a couple of
fledglings (maybe I did see them feeding - my notes don't indicate) -
previous years maybe a dozen or more occasionally or however you spell once
in a while.

I hope a couple of those PF's head over my way - nice pictures!

fdp

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Fred Pierce (DNRC)- 
Mid-Atlantic Aviation on the Web - http://www.avialantic.com
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of Fred Burggraf
> Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2004 3:14 PM
> To: 
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Purple Finch invasion?
>
>
> A hungry flock of Purple Finches has invaded my peaceful front
> yard and has
> set up a domain at my feeder. (Must be hungry after all that migrating!)
>
> I've posted a few pictures at:
>
> http://hometown.aol.com/fburggraf/pufi.html
>
> Fred Burggraf
> Dentsville, Charles County, MD
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