As I was sitting in my upstairs office this morning, trying to make myself do some work, I heard the most beautiful bird song outside my window. I looked in the tree growing next to the house, and saw an American Goldfinch on a branch, singing away.

American Goldfinches were my spark bird — thirty years ago, I looked in a tree, and saw a bird so brightly colored I thought somebody’s canary had escaped. I had no idea Colorado had birds so striking! So I started paying attention to what was flying by …

We used to have lots of goldfinches around, both American but especially Lesser Goldfinches. But about seven years ago, they stopped visiting our feeders. The world was a more boring place without them. Evidently goldfinches sometimes leave an area and go brighten another for no apparent reason.

Happily, last year both species returned.

Lesser Goldfinches are smaller, and have black from their sharply pointed beaks down their backs, with white bars on their wings. Female Lessers lack the black backs.

This female American Goldfinch arrived in the tree shortly after the male started singing. Both male and female American Goldfinches are lemon yellow, with orange beaks. Males have black backs and wings, and a black mask, while females go with olive green.

As I was shooting pictures, a second male showed up and tried to drown out the first male’s song. I thought it was interesting that they perched right next to each other, and then each started preening. I lost sight of the female deeper in the tree. After a few minutes of posturing, all three flew off.

I’m hoping they will nest in the tree so I can keep track of them.