Towheeblog

The Lesser Goldfinches are taking our stolid sunflowers and creating a sort of green lace art-work. If our species has handiwork, might I venture such birds produce billiwork?

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I’ve seen this before. Click here for blog I wrote about “green-backed leaf cutters” eight years ago. Then several other birders commented they had seen the same thing. One California birder commented their leaves were laced by Lawrence’s Goldfinches.

The finches do not start eating the sunflower leaves until the seed heads are fully formed and beginning to ripen.

MINTO-BROWN

Nora the Dog walked me around Minto-Brown Park for an hour mid-morning. Almost two dozen species in an hour. Two Osprey in nest atop elevator tower at gravel plant just south of the park:

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Other MInto-Brownies:

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954 Ratcliff Drive SE, Marion, Oregon, US
Jul 20, 2021
11 species

Anna’s Hummingbird  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
California Scrub-Jay  X
American Crow  X
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  X
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
House Finch  4
Lesser Goldfinch  4
American Goldfinch  6
Spotted Towhee  1

Minto-Brown Island Park, Marion, Oregon, US
Jul 20, 2021
23 species

Wood Duck  1
Band-tailed Pigeon  1
Mourning Dove  1
Turkey Vulture  4
Osprey  5
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Downy Woodpecker  3
Northern Flicker  3
Steller’s Jay  2
California Scrub-Jay  1
American Crow  1
Violet-green Swallow  2
Barn Swallow  8
Cliff Swallow  1
Swainson’s Thrush  3
American Robin  6
Cedar Waxwing  3
House Finch  8
Lesser Goldfinch  2
American Goldfinch  6
Song Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee  3
Red-winged Blackbird  X