American goldfinch on salsify - again!

Salsify flower "bending" to the will of an American Goldfinch near Didsbury, Alberta.

Salsify is an edible plant related to sunflowers.  The one in the photo above is yellow salsify, a common weed I see everywhere.  Like dandelions, the plant is edible and has a long taproot, similar to a carrot.  The plant is originally from Eurasia, but that hasn't kept American goldfinches from enjoying it.

I photographed a goldfinch a few years ago on a salsify flower that was about to go to seed.  Goldfinches relish the small seeds found in these flowers, along with thistle seeds and niger seeds at bird feeders.  The photo is below, and the link is here to my blog on the image.  

American Goldfinch on salsify, 2024.

The difference between the two photos is time, not only in the year but in the season.  The top image was taken a few days ago in Alberta's early summer when the bird's plumage is a little less worn, and the flower hasn't started seed production yet.  The bottom photo was taken a few days earlier in the season, but in the Okanagan, where planting and flowers are several weeks ahead.  

I am camping in Didsbury, Alberta, right now, and the lilacs are still blooming here.  At my house in Kelowna, the lilacs have been finished for almost two months.  However, regardless of the differences, the American goldfinch seems to enjoy the plant.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com

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