For days my feeders have been overwhelmed with Goldfinches going wild. I’ve had them before (when I bothered to put out feed) but I’ve never seen them like this.

They’ve plowed through three full containers of sunflower seeds in about three days, mostly throwing them on the ground. Then their buddies swoop in, going on a feeding frenzy until something spooks them. They soar into the leafless trees, only to come back when the coast is clear.

Check out their antics here.

A few other birds venture out, especially one poor house finch who seems to be by himself. I guess he’s keeping company with the golds, so he won’t be so lonely. A cardinal or two has made an appearance along with a few Carolina wrens and a ring-necked dove.  Not sure where the turkeys are. Haven’t seen one in a while.

GOLDFINCHES GOING WILD BEHAVIOR

Goldfinches are in Texas only during the winter months. During this time, the male is a bit drab, displaying brownish feathers similar to the female’s. About the length of a stick of butter, they have cone-shaped beaks. You can’t miss their black and white striped wings. In warmer months, the males turn bright yellow. And—surprise, surprise—they eat seeds.

I won’t bore you with any other ornithological data, you can look it up yourself. 

GOLDFINCHES GOING WILD SPIRITUAL MEANING

Who knew? The Native Americans view the Goldfinch as a symbol of unbridled joy, inspiration, motivation, and positivity while their song represents self-expression. Apparently a yellow feather from them can be charged for energy, fertility, and the sun’s power.

And I could use this right about now. I’ve been hoping the hoards would inspire my fingers to rip across the keyboard, bringing fabulous words bubbling up from my inner core of creativity.

SIGH!

So far, its not working. The only thing they’ve done is distract me. And now I need to give the greedy creatures another heap of expensive food. Furthermore, they are so ungrateful, not a one has left a feather for me.

GOLDFINCHES GOING WILD CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

The Goldfinches and I go back a long way. When in elementary school, my brother and I religiously bought model kits, along with cement and small jars of enamel paint. One of our kits were birds. My brother had the Baltimore Oriole, and I had the Goldfinch. Of course, the model was of the male in all his summer finery, but I didn’t know that females were drab and less colorful. I loved that bird.

Mind you, growing up in Baytown, Texas, I had never seen a Goldfinch. The bird fascinated me. Then, one winter I contracted encephalitis, thought to be the result of having measles. (Yep, before vaccines were available.) After being hospitalized in Baytown for some time, I was transferred to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

One day a man came to visit me. I now assume he was a psychiatrist or psychologist. While chatting, he asked me what animal I wanted to be. I responded, a Goldfinch. When asked why, I said I wanted to be free. I wonder how he interpreted my answer. Who wouldn’t want to be free after being in a hospital for weeks? I even missed a whopper of a snow storm. I watched a bit from the window and my dad brought me some snow ice cream (milk, sugar, vanilla, and snow).

Interestingly enough, I never saw the shrink again nor did my folks take me in for any psychological type of treatment. Maybe they should have!

At any rate, I never saw a male with his summer coat on until I was an adult at my dad’s house in West Virginia. I’m so attached to the bird that a co-worker whose mother-in-law did needlepoint, made me a pillow with a brightly colored male on it.

Drat! I may need to make a trip up north to see my friends in all their summer glory.

Do you have a favorite bird?

Sign up on www.mariewatts.com to receive future Stories About Life delivered to your email address or read more stories by clicking here.