Introduction
What a wonderful experience. I wish I had taken a photo. I looked out of my lounge window and a young goldfinch was resting on my patio within 0.5m of the window. It didn’t attempt to fly off so I went outside. I knelt down on the ground and got within 0.5m of it. It was trying to sleep with its head resting over its back. Its wings were neatly folded so I thought it looked OK and not damaged.
How Did I Know It Was Young?
I knew it was young because it still had down and it did not have a red face. I was bothered that a neighbours cat, which regularly visits, would catch it. So I called a friend from over the road and he came to see it. We agreed that the best thing to do was to get hold of it and put it on the bird table if possible. So I knelt down behind it and made a slow move to grab it. (I have picked up wild birds before when they have been injured.) Well it never flinched, it was nice and warm. I put it on the covered bird table and it stayed put. I put a small pile of niger seeds next to it but all it did was put its head over its back and go back to sleep.
Half an hour later I saw it had moved to a different position on the bird table. A good sign I thought.
About an hour later another friend arrived and we went to have a look at it. When we got near and started talking it awoke, put its head right up and looked all around then it took flight and went to a nearby bush. I’m so pleased it was OK. I think it might have flown into my lounge window and been stunned as pigeons often do. I’ve noticed that goldfinches rarely settle on the ground or on fences, preferring to sit in bushes, trees or on their feeder. They are a tree-dwelling bird.
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