Re: European Goldfinch breeding

[Duncan McCaskill <>]

Goldfinch numbers are showing a bit of an upswing in the Garden Bird Survey after a few years of low numbers.

Duncan

On 21 January 2014 14:11, Martin Butterfield <> wrote:

During the drought before this one European Goldfinch numbers took a huge dive, as reflected by each of:

• local observations in Carwoola;
  
• GBS results and
  
• Greening Australia Surveys.
  

They have certainly recovered well in Carwoola since then.

Martin

On 21 January 2014 12:49, John Layton <> wrote:

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.

 

--
Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/