{"id":91534,"date":"2021-07-04T05:47:59","date_gmt":"2021-07-04T11:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=91534"},"modified":"2024-05-21T10:28:37","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T15:28:37","slug":"male-american-goldfinch-perched-on-a-chokecherry-tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/04\/male-american-goldfinch-perched-on-a-chokecherry-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"Male American Goldfinch Perched On A Chokecherry Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MaleMale American Goldfinch perched on a chokecherry tree \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of June I had a few moments to focus on an adult male American Goldfinch perched on a chokecherry tree high in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a>. The male goldfinch was dressed in his finest breeding plumage. He was such a bright yellow that he seemed to glow against the dark green leaves of the chokecherry and the out of focus grasses, trees, and sage across the canyon in the background.<\/p>\n

The male goldfinch stuck around longer than I expected him to which was a pleasant surprise.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult male American Goldfinch in the Wasatch Mountains \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

American Goldfinches breed a bit later than most of the songbirds I see in the Wasatch Mountains although I expect they have started on their first and possibly only broods when they are as high in the mountains as this male was. If their first brood fails or they are successful early enough they may even attempt a second brood. Our continuing drought conditions may have a negative impact on second broods though.<\/p>\n

Three days ago I did see several blooming thistles which this species relies on for food for themselves and their nestlings. I am always a touch surprised how quickly the thistles go from being in full bloom to seeing finches and siskins eating their seeds.<\/p>\n

I want to wish everyone a happy and safe<\/em> 4th of July.<\/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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the end of June I had a few moments to focus on an adult male American Goldfinch perched on a chokecherry tree high in the Wasatch Mountains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":128992,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2715,27,1731,26,773],"tags":[4004,4053,3940,6531,3504,3495,6198,6199,4062,4069,4104,6532,7282,2717,2315,7281],"class_list":["post-91534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-american-goldfinches","category-avian","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-adult","tag-breeding-plumage","tag-canyon","tag-chokecherry","tag-finch","tag-finches","tag-goldfinch","tag-goldfinches","tag-male","tag-mountains","tag-perched","tag-prunus-virginiana","tag-prunus-virginiana-demissa","tag-spinus-tristis","tag-summer-3","tag-western-chokecherry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-adult-male-chokecherry-mia-mcpherson-9511.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-nOm","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":59785,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/08\/29\/photographing-a-male-downy-woodpecker-in-a-chokecherry-tree\/","url_meta":{"origin":91534,"position":0},"title":"Photographing A Male Downy Woodpecker In A Chokecherry Tree","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 29, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"When I noticed the Downy Woodpecker moving towards the front part of the tree I changed my focus to it and waited to see if he would come out into the open and when it did I was ready to takes images of him.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Downy Woodpecker clinging to a chokecherry tree, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/downy-woodpecker-male-chokecherry-tree-mia-mcpherson-5898.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/downy-woodpecker-male-chokecherry-tree-mia-mcpherson-5898.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Goldfinches","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/finches-and-allies\/american-goldfinches\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Peek-a-boo feeding male Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/broad-tailed-hummingbird-male-feesing-mia-mcpherson-6926.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/broad-tailed-hummingbird-male-feesing-mia-mcpherson-6926.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/broad-tailed-hummingbird-male-feesing-mia-mcpherson-6926.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/broad-tailed-hummingbird-male-feesing-mia-mcpherson-6926.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/american-goldfinch-male-and-blue-sky-mia-mcpherson-9856.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/american-goldfinch-male-and-blue-sky-mia-mcpherson-9856.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/american-goldfinch-male-and-blue-sky-mia-mcpherson-9856.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/american-goldfinch-male-and-blue-sky-mia-mcpherson-9856.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58429,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/07\/04\/fluffed-up-adult-yellow-warbler\/","url_meta":{"origin":91534,"position":3},"title":"Fluffed Up Adult Yellow Warbler","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Yellow Warblers are small birds that look like feathered rays of sunshine that have come to earth and I am always delighted to photograph them","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fluffed up adult Yellow Warbler in a chokecherry, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/yellow-warbler-male-fluffy-mia-mcpherson-8483.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/yellow-warbler-male-fluffy-mia-mcpherson-8483.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/yellow-warbler-male-fluffy-mia-mcpherson-8483.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/yellow-warbler-male-fluffy-mia-mcpherson-8483.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":63642,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/01\/31\/juvenile-mountain-bluebird-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":91534,"position":4},"title":"Juvenile Mountain Bluebird In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 31, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I can't imagine not seeing these beautiful Mountain Bluebirds feeding, breeding and raising their young in the mountains that are close to where I live.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile Mountain Bluebird perched in a Chokecherry tree, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountian-bluebird-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-5679-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountian-bluebird-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-5679-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountian-bluebird-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-5679-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mountian-bluebird-juvenile-perched-mia-mcpherson-5679-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52072,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/05\/11\/male-american-goldfinch-in-breeding-plumage-small-in-the-frame\/","url_meta":{"origin":91534,"position":5},"title":"Male American Goldfinch in Breeding Plumage – Small in the Frame","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 11, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Imagine a bird whose bright yellow feathers rival the rays of the sun then add a black forehead, ebony eyes, black and white wings and you have a male American Goldfinch in breeding plumage. Feathered sunshine.","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 in breeding plumage, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-male-mia-mcpherson-4176.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-male-mia-mcpherson-4176.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-male-mia-mcpherson-4176.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-male-mia-mcpherson-4176.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91534"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91534\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/128992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}