[Birdtalk] Backyard Birdwatching - SLC - LESSER GOLDFINCH

[B.G. Sloan]

As I retired librarian, I just can't resist chiming in here. :-)

Kristin Purdy mentions two papers about Lesser Goldfinches. In addition to purchasing them from the publisher, your library might be able to get them for you via interlibrary loan.

Bernie Sloan


--- On Sun, 12/21/08, Kristin Purdy <kristinpurdy at comcast.net> wrote:

> From: Kristin Purdy <kristinpurdy at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [Birdtalk] Backyard Birdwatching - SLC - LESSER GOLDFINCH
> To: "Bird Talk" <birdtalk at utahbirds.org>
> Date: Sunday, December 21, 2008, 3:30 AM
> Jeff,
> 
> The Lesser Goldfinch's winter range expansion has gone
> largely unnoticed by 
> researchers, but not by birders. Twenty or twenty-five
> years ago, Utah 
> birders had to visit St. George to see Lesser Goldfinches
> in the state. All 
> of us know that's not true anymore due to consistent
> sightings at our 
> feeders throughout the year. Cache County is seeing them as
> well according 
> to Val Grant's April post on the TopofUtah listserv:
> 
> http://secureserver.securesites.net/pipermail/topofutah/2008-April/000101.html
> 
> Even the latest field guide to be published, The
> Smithsonian Field Guide to 
> the Birds of North America, only shows the species'
> year-round range in the 
> state to be in Southwest Utah and around Salt Lake City.
> 
> However, one researcher, Alan E. Versaw, has noted
> especially the winter 
> range expansion and has published two papers on the
> subject:
> 
> Versaw, A. 2000. Winter range expansion of Lesser
> Goldfinches. Journal of 
> the Colorado Field Ornithologists.34:91-97.
> 
> You might be able to obtain a copy of this issue by writing
> to the journal 
> editor, Nathan Pieplow, at npieplow at indra.com. I've
> done this before and I 
> think there's a $5.00 fee.
> 
> Versaw, A. 2001. Winter Range Expansion and Identification
> of the Lesser 
> Goldfinch. Great Basin Birds, 4(1) pp. 6-11.
> 
> This paper is available for members or by purchase from the
> Great Basin Bird 
> Observatory's website, http://www.gbbo.org/index.htm.
> 
> You can also do your own research by using several online 
> databases--Audubon's Christmas Bird Count database at
> the CBC website:
> 
> http://www.audubon.org/BIRD/CBC/hr/index.html
> 
> E-Bird is another good source to check the trend:
> 
> http://ebird.org/ebird/eBirdReports?cmd=Start
> 
> And a current CBC note, my CBC team logged 30 Lesser
> Goldfinches in 
> southeast Ogden yesterday.
> 
> If all of this is waaaay too much info, just enjoy your
> Lesser Goldfinches 
> and know that many of us have them year-round, too.
> 
> Kris
> 
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Jeff Bilsky
>   To: Birdtalk
>   Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 2:53 PM
>   Subject: [Birdtalk] Backyard Birdwatching - SLC - LESSER
> GOLDFINCH
> 
> 
>   At my feeders in Sugarhouse currently I have a very
> unusual looking female 
> type housefinch with an all white head. I took a couple
> photos - I'll 
> forward on later. Also, have a LESSER GOLDFINCH hanging
> out. Someone who 
> knows something about their habits please comment on how
> unusual this would 
> be for this time of year in Salt Lake City. Sibley says
> summer. Thank you.
> 
>   -- 
>   Jeff Bilsky
>   Salt Lake City
>   jbilsky at gmail.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
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