Another unexpected bird that I sighted during a recent walk around my neighborhood was this American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis). I don’t think that I have seen one before during the winter—during the spring and the summer the goldfinch’s bright yellow plumage makes it easier to spot one.
I guess I need to pay more attention to the birds of the neighborhood, for it appears that more of them overwinter than I originally thought. What else is out there, waiting to be seen and photographed?
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Mike Powell 
Nice capture. I saw several where I am as well. (I haven’t seen the summer one lol)
They tend to blend in to the background in the winter. They’re year-round residents in the Midwest and Eastern US. I’ve only seen a few this week but I suppose the poor things are hiding from our below zero windchill.
They usually stay in southern Illinois and come to feeders. This Arctic weather sure changes things.
The pastel blue sky really offsets its pastel yellow nicely. I was really surprised to see the first robins here this past week. I’m afraid they are going to be really sorry that they were so eager. It’s going to be a long time before there are any earthworms to be had!
Always a biting question you pose: what else is out there?
Beautiful little bird but you had me going when I first saw it. Ours is nothing like yours. We call Carduelis carduelis a goldfinch 🙂
I don’t know how they stand this cold.
I’m guessing there are quite a few bird species out there for you to find. Many species only migrate (from Canada) as far as the middle latitudes of the US (that’s you, right?). Keep surprising us with your finds.