{"id":53647,"date":"2018-08-19T05:02:38","date_gmt":"2018-08-19T11:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=53647"},"modified":"2024-05-21T09:05:15","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T14:05:15","slug":"female-and-male-american-goldfinches-lifting-off-from-musk-thistles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/08\/19\/female-and-male-american-goldfinches-lifting-off-from-musk-thistles\/","title":{"rendered":"Female and Male American Goldfinches Lifting Off From Musk Thistles"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the past two months I have enjoyed being able to photograph American Goldfinches feeding on Musk Thistle seeds in the canyons of the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"FemaleFemale American Goldfinch lifting off – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

About two weeks ago there were several female and male goldfinches feeding together in an area where the thistles were thick and I spent some time photographing them as they plucked the seeds from the dried seedheads. Some of my favorite images of the finches from that session were of two birds lifting off after they had eaten their fill.<\/p>\n

When the female American Goldfinch lifted off I liked the eye contact I had with her and how graceful she looked when she raised her wings, when I saw this image on my camera LCD I just had to smile. Even though I had a shutter speed of 1\/1600 her wings showed motion blur but I like it in this frame because it seems to amplify the motion of her wings at the precise moment of her lift off.<\/p>\n

\"MaleMale American Goldfinch lifting off – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

When I photographed the male American Goldfinch lifting off I had a little more shutter speed so his wings didn’t show as much motion blur but I have to admit that when I saw this image on my monitor at home I had to laugh because to my eyes he looks a little goofy, almost as if he was in the midst of the process of deciding which way to go.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my American Goldfinch photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the female American Goldfinch lifted off I liked the eye contact I had with her and how graceful she looked when she raised her wings, when I saw this image on my camera LCD I just had to smile. 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American Goldfinch With Thistles","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Right after I photographed a juvenile Lazuli Bunting two days ago a female American Goldfinch landed in a patch of thistles in front of me.","rel":"","context":"In "American Goldfinches"","block_context":{"text":"American Goldfinches","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/finches-and-allies\/american-goldfinches\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Goldfinch female perching on a thistle, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/american-goldfinch-female-thistles-mia-mcpherson-6770.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/american-goldfinch-female-thistles-mia-mcpherson-6770.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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clinging to thistles that were covered in ants and aphids.","rel":"","context":"In "American Goldfinches"","block_context":{"text":"American Goldfinches","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/finches-and-allies\/american-goldfinches\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male American Goldfinch feasting on aphids, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-thistle-aphids-mia-mcpherson-9139.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-thistle-aphids-mia-mcpherson-9139.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-thistle-aphids-mia-mcpherson-9139.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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