Re: European Goldfinch breeding

[John Harris <>]

I observed and reported European Goldfinches with dependent young on Percival Hill late December.

John

 

From: John Layton <>
Date: Tuesday, 21 January 2014 12:49 pm
To: Canberra Birds <>
Subject: [canberrabirds] Re: European Goldfinch breeding

Geoffrey wrote:

No Goldfinch rage, then?  I regularly found nests in the Geelong backyard, usually in apricot trees.  According to HANZAB, Canberra is squarely in the breeding range and of the 506 NRS clutch records 17.4% were in Jan (20.3% for NSW)

 

Don’t know Goldfinch rage ☮

 

With deference to HANZAB and going on my personal observations, it seems European Goldfinch numbers in Canberra have receded noticeable during the past 20 years or so.

 

John K. Layton

Holt.

 

From: John Layton
Sent: Tuesday, 21 January 2014 11:15 AM
To: Canberra Birds
Subject: [canberrabirds] European Goldfinch breeding

 

I have a second hand report from a reliable source of a European Goldfinch sitting on eggs in a backyard at the Golf Course Estate, Belconnen. Nest is in a Mexican Pine Pinus idunno. Been years since I’ve seen a goldfinches’ nest in Canberra.

 

As a billy lid in the Wagga area I remember goldfinches breeding well into January.

 

John K. Layton

Holt.