David et al, Paula might be right. Other possibilities are small ants, spider hatchlings, clover mites, other tiny arthropods. Let us know if you figure it out.
Dave Leatherman Fort Collins (currently in Lamar) Sent from my iPhone > On Jul 4, 2023, at 9:35 AM, Paula Hansley <[email protected]> wrote: > > > What about getting little pieces of grit from the mortar or brick for their > gizzards??? !!! > > Paula Hansley > Louisville > >> On Tue, Jul 4, 2023 at 9:04 AM [email protected] <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> Why would a Goldfinch cling to a brick wall for a minute and a half? >> At 7 AM when I walked into my garden I was treated to a brilliant Amer. >> Goldfinch male who flew directly from my Bachelor Button patch to the >> side of my yellow-brick garage. The brick has an extremely rough texture, >> so it was easy to cling to. Although there were lots of "gnats" in the air, >> there weren't any near the wall, which is protected by a 3' overhang. I >> expected >> the bird to immediately move on, but he lingered and lingered, making little >> pecking movements at the brick and perhaps at the mortar. It came to mind >> that Amazon parrots peck up clay, but it seems unlikely that 80-year-old >> mortar >> would be digestible. Maybe a small spider or spider eggs? After the bird >> left, >> I examined the wall but could see absolutely nothing. If it was a small >> spider, how >> extraordinary that the bird saw it in the shade from 25 yards away. >> P.S. to gardeners: Bachelor Buttons are incredibly easy to grow, and they >> self-sow, >> so there's almost no work involved in having a patch. Bees, including some >> native >> bees, love it, and American Goldfinches, Lesser Goldfinches, and House >> Finches >> will come to it from time to time for the developing seeds. >> David Gulbenkian, Crown Hill area, Jeffco >> -- >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en >> * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include >> bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate >> * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Colorado Birds" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/4cc2b5af-ef44-47ab-9669-cf7c3914ac86n%40googlegroups.com. > -- > Paula Hansley > Petrographic Consultants International, Inc. > Ph: 720-890-2628 > -- > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Colorado Birds" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en > * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include > bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate > * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAHmCQtYbLJSOOBFfPcqCo0me-Lo5%2BW0UKw7WcS8rTeViFNMFwA%40mail.gmail.com. -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/PH7PR12MB73543B5A45669DC95DFC5258C12EA%40PH7PR12MB7354.namprd12.prod.outlook.com.
