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The American Goldfinch has a short, conical bill, and a short, notched tail. Adult males are bright yellow with a black forehead and wings. Adult females and all immature birds are duller yellow beneath and olive above. American Goldfinches are acrobatic and cling to weeds and branches and, like all goldfinches, they fly with a bouncy undulating pattern. The American Goldfinch's natural habitats include weedy fields and brushy areas with trees, but they are also common in suburbs, parks, and backyards. Goldfinches eat seeds almost exclusively and are attracted to thistle feeders. The nest is an open cup of rootlets and plant fibers, often woven so tightly that it can hold water. The male's song consists of twitters and warbles lasting several seconds; these birds continue to learn song patterns throughout life. American Goldfinches are resident across the northern U.S. and along the Pacific Slope; part of the population spreads north into southern Canada in summer and into northern Mexico in winter. They are the only goldfinches in the East, but here in the West they are joined by Lesser and Lawrence's goldfinches, all three of which we observed during our June 8 bird walk.. ~ Steve Edelman Birding CLUB Bird of the Month The Birding Club welcomes beginning and experienced birders to start or hone bird identification skills. Our main activity is a monthly bird walk along Four Seasons' nature trails, which follow native riparian woodlands. We keep a list of all species observed at Four Seasons and take seasonal field trips to nearby birding hotspots. Our June 8 bird walk produced a total of 23 species, including all three North American goldfinch species, and the American Goldfinch (our Bird of the Month). Twenty of the observed species were "resident," meaning they're at Four Seasons year round. The other three (Bell's Vireo, Yellow Warbler, and Northern Rough-winged Swallow) are migrants that breed (spend their summers) in our area and head south each winter. As the summer progresses and territorial singing gives way to raising their young, birds are generally less active and less conspicuous, as evidenced by the paltry 15 species we observed during our July 6 bird walk. We took the opportunity to take a slower walk and focus on learning the sounds of our most common (and vocal) species: Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, House Finch, and Lesser Goldfinch. We meet on the first Saturday of the month at 8 am at the Potrero Creek (Trail A) trailhead at The Lodge parking lot. Email steve.h.edelman@gmail.com for current schedule and information. ~ Steve Edelman FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | AUGUST 2019 33 Adult male American Goldfinch photographed by Club member Dave Kettering during our June 8 bird walk During the July 6 bird walk, we also observed butterflies, which fly almost exclusively during summer. Club member John Hansen captured this photo of a Mourning Cloak basking on the trunk of a California Sycamore At the end of our July 6 bird walk, Lavonne Andres presented the lady birders with beautiful bird- themed silk scarves that she had brought back from a recent visit to Shanghai. The gentleman birders were delighted!

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