A Pleasant Surprise

I had a nice surprise this evening when I got home. A female House Finch was on my feeder! She was the first one I've seen on the property since December 30, 2003! House Finches are an interesting species of birds. They are native to the southwestern U.S. Some of them were transported (illegally) to the Northeast where their population did very, very well. Both populations have been expanding, probably due to the abundance of bird feeders. Now they're meeting in the middle and this part of Texas is one of the last they haven't taken a strong hold in. It won't be long, though. When we lived in Mansfield and Arlington, I had lots of House Finches at my feeders, sometimes upwards of 40 at a time! They love oil sunflower and safflower, so if you're feeding those two seeds, watch for them at your feeder!