Sometimes glimmers are gold! Last summer our feeders will filled with goldfinches. So we did a little research an learned that they love thistle seeds. So…as we do for the variety of wild visitors to our property, we set up a dedicated thistle seed tree for our new friends. You can see how popular that became in the photo below…
Then in September Hurricane Helene came roaring through! After days of a dangerous winds and massive rain here in the Blur Ridge foothills, our beloved little golden friends disappeared. 😟 I left the feeders up for months. No goldfinches came. We were heartbroken thinking they may have perished in the storm. We never gave up hoping they might return but I put away the seed to protect them from the weather. And then this week…
So…I set up the thistle seed feeders once again and they are back! A good number of them. And I am so happy and encouraged and reminded that we should always hold on to hope! Never give up!
Here’s another little one peaking around the seed bag… makes me smile, reminds me to breath…a big deep breath.
And finally a poem… peace and glimmers to you!!! Golden glimmers!!!! ✨
golden homecoming
finches have returned
gold flutters at the feeders
bellies thistle full
we thought they’d perished last fall
when the hurricane raged through
~kat
like mercury colliding... 
January 17th, 2025 at 4:19 pm
Oh how beautiful! I loved to watch the birds when we were in the cottage. We had swallows and kingfishers on the river, but sadly we have very few small birds visit the garden here. We took the feeders down because rats were coming in and we are now very watchful for a sparrowhawk taking the little ones.
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January 17th, 2025 at 4:27 pm
Oh my goodness. We do have large prey birds in the area… and they do sometimes prey on the small birds. But that is nature. We live in the woods with snakes that keep the rodents at bay, little birds that keep the flying insects like mosquitoes at bay, raptors who feast on birds and rabbits, Turkey vultures who keep the carnage cleaned up. It’s been a fascinating study in the cycle of life.
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January 18th, 2025 at 3:40 pm
Nature is wonderful, beautiful, and cruel, but She has balance.
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January 18th, 2025 at 6:46 pm
So true!
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January 17th, 2025 at 4:21 pm
We have lots of goldfinches too and we love them 💜💜
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January 17th, 2025 at 5:09 pm
I love their songs too. So delightful. And what seed they knock on the ground, we have a flock of mourning doves who graze there. Another favorite! 💚🥰
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January 18th, 2025 at 6:12 pm
We do too but we call the pigeons 🤫
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January 17th, 2025 at 5:32 pm
They are gorgeous! We are fortunate to have them visit us too!
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January 17th, 2025 at 6:10 pm
I love it when they take off together and air is aflutter in yellow. ✨
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January 17th, 2025 at 8:06 pm
Beautiful birds Kat. Glad they are back
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January 18th, 2025 at 2:29 am
They are Sadje! I am so glad to see them!
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January 18th, 2025 at 3:56 am
💛💛💛
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