I'm sitting on my porch and just saw the brightest yellow bird, with some black on him, fly by sort of erratically. My first thought was, "whoa that's a huge bumble bee," because of the colors, but in fact it was a bird. He was on the small side, maybe 2/3 the size of an adult robin.
I've never seen such a bright yellow bird in Northwest Ohio before, so I'm guessing this guy is a pet that escaped. Could I be wrong? Any local bird experts here at Toledo Talk?
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Yellow finches are out now, although I thought they usually show up later. I just saw one on Eckel Junction Road yesterday.
I've had Goldfinches in my yard already this year.
Here is a post on historymike's blog that describes them:
http://historymike.blogspot.com/2010/05/on-american-goldfinches-and-early.html
Oh thank you, guys! It definitely could've been a goldfinch, now that I look at historymike's blog. I'm pretty sure it was.
That eases my mind. I was worried about some poor domesticated bird having to learn to fend for itself because he escaped.
Hmmm, I guess I'm not that observant. I've never seen one before and I've lived in NW Ohio almost my entire life.
American Goldfinches exist in Ohio year-round, but they do migrate, so the ones you see at your feeders in the winter may not be the same ones that bring fledged young to your purple cone flowers in late July or early August. Compared to most songbirds, American Goldfinches nest later. Right now, the male AMGOs have fully changed to their bright yellow breeding plumage. In the winter, both males and females look nearly identical with a dull green color.
From the book "Birds of Ohio" by Bruce G. Peterjohn :
Their fall migration is normally less apparent. It produces totals of 30-60 daily at most localities, with occasional movements involving 100-200+. A few migrants are noted along Lake Erie by the first week of September, and they appear in most counties by September 20-October 5. The largest numbers are observed between October 10 and November 5. Their southward movements are largely terminated by mid-November.
In the month of May, if you easily want to see colorful migrating birds that wintered in Central and South America and the Caribbean, visit Magee Marsh, which is about 20 or 30 minutes east of Toledo. These are some of the birds I saw today at Magee (not my photos).
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
American Redstart Warbler
During the month of May, I also see and/or hear warblers in the oak trees around our West Toledo home. Just about any little woodlot in Toledo will contain migrating songbirds now. The numbers, however, will depend upon weather. These little guys migrate at night. The next warm, fair weather night with south or southwest winds will bring in another batch of migrating birds, which includes warblers, sparrows, flycatchers, thrushes, vireos, tanagers, grosbeaks, etc.
Just saw a yellow canary yesterday and his mate yellow with some brown. They were definately not finches or any of those pictured above, next time i will get a photo.
posted by Linecrosser on May 10, 2010 at 10:49:33 am #
Touching story. One time I was walking home from my college classes and saw a flock of robins land on a piece of fence. To my surprise a beautiful all yellow parakeet flew down with them.
Was amazed to see such an exotic bird being accepted by a native "flock" and surviving.
posted by INeedCoffee on May 10, 2010 at 11:14:28 am #
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