Home»Gallery»Portola Valley Ranch, Windy Hill, Etc.»5/22/2021 Birds in the Grass

A story of (modest) conflict in one act:

A male Lesser Goldfingh (Spinus psaltria) harvests and eats seeds in the grassland, shucking them and tossing the hulls. His partner does the same nearby, at peace in the springtime bounty.

Here comes a Cheestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens), wanting just this spot to feed. He drives away the goldfinch -- then guards the grass stem, watching the photographer with curiosity mixed with aggressive defense. The goldfinch goes elsewhere -- there is plenty of grass and seeds.

Dudley Carlson writes: "Wow, Dan, these are great! Your yellow bird is a male Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria). All the seed-eaters are having a field day as the seeds ripen and fall. And they’re probably tired of chasing insects to feed their babies!"

Thanks to Brooke Fabricant for first correcting my chickadee ID to the local species.

Seen on the lower part of Hamm's Gulch Trail, on the way to Eagle Trail for our morning walk. I do like watching birds, and I often see a lot more in my photos afterwards.