American Goldfinch on nest

When I was beginning to photograph birds, I found a pasture in which grew bull thistles.  The Goldfinches came to feed.  I sat in my car, as a blind, and shot out the back side window.  I had only marginal success.  In the years since, I have found these birds to be active and difficult to shoot.  I have made images of them sitting in a bush but you have to be quick because when they see you looking they move behind some leaves or a limb.  I have learned to recognize their "chirps" so that I know they are near even if I can't see them.

A friend told me about this nest.  It was in a bush and just higher than my head.  I carry an old metal milk carton which I use at times for a seat and other times for a step stool.  You can guess how I used it for this shot.  I used flash and a medium long lens with a sufficient working distance so that I would not put too much stress on the bird.  The nest is now empty.  I did peek in a time or two to see the little ones before they fledged.  They pretty much filled the space within the nest.

I know from my days of having a backyard bird feeder that these birds stay around in the winter.  They change color so that you can barely notice their yellow color.  They feed upside down on a thistle seed feeder.  There are many seeds at Gorman upon which they can feed through the winter.  The Goldenrod seeds are numerous.  We also have thistles.