American Goldfinch male lifting off, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, UtahAmerican Goldfinch male lifting off – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Just a simple post today. After the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio yesterday that injured dozens and cost at least 29 people their lives I simply don’t have any more than that in me. My heart breaks for the families of the innocent victims that were gunned down as they start the process of grieving and as they try to deal with their horrendous losses.

I was up in the Wasatch Mountains on the 1st of August when I spotted a male American Goldfinch on top of a Musk Thistle and I took a few images of him. I mentioned in a post on July 23rd that I hadn’t seen any of these finches feeding on the thistles so far this year because the thistles seem behind in development because of our cold, wet spring but I did see this finch and a few others late last week doing just that. I kept my focus on this male American Goldfinch and when he lifted off I was able to take a photo with his wings raised just as he started to take flight. By the next shot in the burst I was taking he was nearly out of the frame.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my American Goldfinch photos plus facts and information about this species.