Cute little bird

　　American Goldfinch and Lesser Goldfinch both eat seeds at my backyard feeders. They are year round residents here in northern California.
American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) and Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria) are members of the family Fringillidae and the genus Carduelis.
Finches are small, colorful birds with conical bills adapted to seed cracking. They nest in late summer, after most birds have fledged their young. They build finely woven cup nests in trees and shrubs, lining them with thistle and milkweed down. Females usually do the nest building and incubation, while males contribute food to them and their young. Their food preferences are thistle seed, sunflower seed, and sunflower hearts.

Last week a female Lesser Goldfinch collected nesting materials from one of my hanging flower baskets while the male Lesser Goldfinch perched atop a stake nearby. I was able to get photos of the male but the female flitted around too much and I could not get a clear picture.　　

Dongzhai House Nature Reserve

Dongzhai Henan-Hubei provinces home Nature Reserve is located at the junction of the Dabie Mountains, the southernmost Luoshan from Xinyang City 32km. In June 2001, Dongzhai home Nature Reserve by the State Council approved the establishment of a total area of ​​46,800 hectares, located in China's north-south dividing line on the climate, the region is now distributed in 1879 kinds of plants, mammals 37 species, 44 amphibians and reptiles species of birds, 237 kinds, known as the "bird Paradise." Is a set of conservation, eco-tourism, bird watching, scientific study, teaching internships, entertainment, Chengde convalescence in one multi-functional integrated nature reserve.

Protected area's unique geographical location and characteristics of a mild and humid climate, the formation of a good forest ecosystems, and carries out a rich variety of species and biological resources, libraries, therefore, be included in the "China Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan" in the northern subtropics priority to the protection of the ecosystem area, but also inscribed on the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) conservation priority areas and national and worldwide significance of the area.
Dong Village of birds as much as does the same for the same latitude or longitude of protected areas in the rare bird species account for 79% of Henan Province, accounting for 20% of the country, including national key protected birds, 39 species included in the Sino-Japanese migratory bird protection agreements list of 95 species, country two protected birds Syrmaticus pheasant population density ranks first in the country.
Dong Village in bird-watching, one day is generally seen sixty-seven ten kinds of birds, up to see eighty-nine ten. Dong Village received a year of protected areas around the country who bring a hundreds of bird-watching trips, Beijing Normal University, River Normal University and other institutions of higher learning to Dong Village of teaching practice as a fixed base. Birds of protected areas to achieve scientific provincial and municipal scientific research 25. Protected areas are building China's largest white-crown pheasant breeding base in captivity, the full range of museum specimens of birds and attract beneficial bird hanging artificial nest.
[Dongzhai home Nature Reserve]

Protected area management and protection of natural resources continue to increase and strengthen public environmental education campaigns, improve and standardize the research and protection system; adhere to artificial nests attract birds and flying birds, to carry out scientific research without interruption; the use of "China Dong Village Bird Photographer of the Year would, "" Love the Birds Week "," wildlife Conservation awareness Month "and other activities to the public for the Protection of Birds, the natural ecological concern education, people's environmental awareness, increased awareness of protecting birds; protected areas is also attaches great importance to the training of technical personnel and training, management and protection of all workers in the distribution of birds identified in the books, a monthly record of bird species observed, Beijing Normal University and other experts invited lectures, has sent researchers to participate in the State Forestry Administration organized the training of the relevant knowledge of birds to learn . Since 2000, protected areas, Dong Village has a new record of birds found in 56 species of local bird species also increased from the 237 kinds of 293 kinds.