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Carduelis carduelis
Medium sized finch (12 - 13.5 cm). Unmistakable with its red face, black hood and white cheeks. Body, a soft dark buff on the back and upper rump, breast is white with a light brown crescent and flanks. lower rump is white going to a black tail with white spots. Wings are also black with white tips to the flight feathers and a broad yellow wing bar. The bill is pale and is long and pointed for a finch.
A common bird in the UK and most of western Europe. This little guy was part of a feeding flock of about a dozen goldfinches feeding in alder trees in the RSPB reserve at Radipole Lake in the town of Weymouth in southern England.
I have more often seen these birds feeding on thistle and burdock near the ground so was delighted to find them in these small alders on a cold winters morning. They certainly brightened the place up!
Spotted on Jan 2, 2019
Submitted on Jan 19, 2019
7 Comments
Lovely series of photos, the red and gold of the finch are very strking against the winter colour palette.
Thank you Ashley for the nomination a very pleasant surprise. Thank you Mark and Maria for your supportive comments. I am glad you like it.
Lovely series!
Nice angles. Another top spotting.
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!
Thank you Zlatan, I appreciate your comment.
Lovely shots, Triggs