31 American Goldfinch

• A group of goldfinches has many collective nouns, including a " 007", "charm", "rush", "treasury", and "vein" of goldfinches.
• These charming birds were everywhere.  Originally we thought they were Yellow Bellied Fly Catchers but thanks to a birdwatcher in Nova Scotia we learned they were American goldfinches in their winter plumage.  The American goldfinch changes to its breeding plumage by a full moult of its feathers.  This bird molts twice a year, instead of once like the rest of the goldfinch species.
• It was odd but we didn't see a sparrow the whole time we were in Nova Scotia but we saw this little fellow repeatedly and in numbers.
• there were the odd Red Poll with them and they were about the same size.
• Depending on the light you could see yellow, lime green, rich brown and the contrasting black and white wings.