A Treasury of Goldfinches

There are many collective nouns for goldfinches, including "charm", "rush", "treasury", and "vein," but whatever word would choose I have a good one this winter. In Cary American Goldfinches can occur year round although they can -- and have -- been finicky. Through much of 2008-2009 I didn't see them very often. This season I have observed either a large family group or perhaps a blended group: at least four males and three or four females, and they're almost always in the company of a group of House Finches. They've been busy at both the sunflower seed tubes and our nyger socks. They're not displaying a particular preference these days. The vault on this treasury will be opened in not too many weeks. I would expect them to begin molting into their dazzling summer colors in anywhere from four to five weeks. And then I may learn if my "vein" will stick around for the summer. Regrettably the weed seed crop is not generous in my neighborhood, and perhaps the goldfinches will relocate a few streets or so to where the pickings are better. We shall see what comes.