European Goldfinch Nest Diary

My European Goldfinch nest diary - written in my nature journal from the time when goldfinches built a nest right outside my bedroom window and I got a real bird's eye view of the nesting activities of these gorgeous little birds.

I'll be sharing my nature journal pages with drawings of the nesting goldfinches and adding the text from my journal pages, plus some photos too.

The goldfinches nested in a climbing rose at the front of my house, south-facing. The rose is tall, so they ended up building their nest just outside my window. I'm in the middle of a village in rural East Yorkshire in the UK, quite close to the road.

My European Goldfinch Nest Diary

Saturday April 5th 2025

European Goldfinch

I start from when I first saw the goldfinches in my garden, a few weeks before they built their nest...

I have tried taking photos but it's hard to see, from the leaves, the movement, and the reflection from the glass in the window. I have included a few of the better photos of the goldfinch nest and babies for you, just to have an extra idea of what we could see, although it was far easier to see in real life than the photo shows.

Goldfinches (2) seen this morning in the Acer (yellow) in the back garden. They then flew almost immediately to the bird feeder and started feeding at the sunflower seeds.

Seen again (both) at lunchtime at the feeder again. Refilled the feeder this morning with more sunflower hearts. There were lots of spilled seed in the base. Messy birds! Good job they weren't spilling onto the ground

Always love to see goldfinches in the garden. So pleased with the birds at the feeder this year. Just this week including goldfinch (x2), greenfinch (x1), robin (x1), dunnock (x2) (x3 in the garden), blue tit (x1).

Monday 21st April 2025 (Easter Monday)

Goldfinches building their nest

Nest in the climbing rose over the front door and visible out of our bedroom window!

I was very excited to discover yesterday morning (Easter Sunday) that we have a goldfinch nest (currently being created) in the front garden in the branches of the rose over the door.

When I got upstairs to see if I could see the nest out of the bedroom window, I realised that it was at a perfect height to see right out of the front window.

The nest is small and round, made from small twigs, moss and fur.

The female goldfinch brings materials, adds them, then sits in the nest and wiggles, first her bum/tail, slightly sticking up, then her head and chest to get it comfortable.

Since spotting it yesterday, the nest has got larger and thicker. To me, it looks nearly ready now! The goldfinch comes regularly to the nest, but is still away longer than she is in it. No eggs!

We have spent the day moving things around in the bedroom so that the alarm clock won't go off next to the goldfinch nest tomorrow morning, in case it frightens her!

Friday 25th April 2025

Goldfinch laying eggs in her nest

Our little goldfinch has laid her eggs and is sitting in the nest now.

The nest has been growing, getting thicker and softer (there seems to be a lot of fur!).

Yesterday, Goldie seemed to be sat in it all morning but was gone in the afternoon and evening. I did not see any eggs.

This morning, at 6.30am, Goldie was there sitting in the nest. I checked again several times in the morning, and in the mid-morning she'd gone and I was able to see two small white eggs, slightly speckled. They reminded me of Cadbury's Mini Eggs! There may have been more than two, but two was all that I could see.

She was back sat on the nest after lunch, but had gone again around 6pm.

I can see her breathing and the movement of her throat as she makes tiny cheepings.

She is looking around a lot all of the time. She moves around to face different directions and repositions herself.

She is well protected by leaves!

PS - 'Dad' has been sighted in the area, but not close to the nest.

So happy to get the joy of watching my little Goldie.

Only the female sits on the eggs. I hope and pray the little eggs survive and hatch!

Saturday 10th May 2025

The eggs hatch

The goldfinch eggs have hatched!!

I glimpsed two eggs still in the nest on Thursday. I've been checking regularly as they must be due to hatch (around two weeks).

This morning, when I got up around 6.45am, the mum was out of the nest. I wasn't sure I could see anything, then some white 'fur', downy feathers moving - a little body I think.

Mum still seems to spend most of the time sitting on the nest, or standing over it. It's hot today, so this afternoon she spends some time standing with her wings out, creating shade, beak open to cool down. She sometimes bends down to check on the little ones.

I glimpsed three tiny heads with yellow beaks as she was standing. Very exciting and lovely to see!

I hope to see these three little ones growing larger over the next two weeks...

10th May

Tuesday 14th May 2025

Babies in the nest (Mum behind), 13th May

Sleeping babies in the goldfinch nest showing downy white feathers - 13th May

Hungry mouths to feed! 13th May

Wednesday 14th May 2025

Feeding time for goldfinch babies!

Today is cooler but still sunny on the goldfinch nest this afternoon.

The parents have left the nest a little more over the last couple of days and the babies can be seen in the nest.

Sometimes, they must be asleep, and sometimes they reach their little heads up, their beaks open as if craning for food. Sometimes, the two larger ones will put their heads up to the rim of the nest. I worry that they might fall out, especially as the wind blows.

They are grey and scaly with white fluff. Their eyes are still closed.

The parents often come together to feed the babies and take away poops. The mum still sits on the goldfinch nest a lot, too.

Mum has been standing over the nest with wings open to shield the babies from the sun. She must be like that for hours!

I think there may be 5-6 babies. They look so frail and vulnerable and so dependent on their parents. The little beaks craning upwards, unseeing, searching for food.

Tuesday 20th May 2025

Goldfinch babies in the nest

The babies have grown much larger over the last couple of days.

Two days ago, I first noticed the first tufts of brown feathers. The little birds started preening themselves and each other.

They nearly look like proper little birds now. Their eyes are fully open and alert. They move around a lot, lifting their wings a little, and clamber over each other.

Sometimes, their heads peer over the edge of the nest. Once, I saw one lift his little bum and poop onto the edge of the nest. Once side of the nest seems reserved for pooping (mainly) and the other is where the parents come in to feed the goldfinch babies.

The babies still seem to sleep a lot. They sleep in a mound that looks just like the colour and texture of the nest.

When the mum is in the nest, it seems difficult to sit on moving babies - or they poke their little heads out around the edges. She sits with wings out a little to protect them from the sun.

I can even see the yellow bars on the babies' wings today. But they still have some white down on their heads.

I think it won't be too long before they fledge.

Thursday May 22nd 2025

A nestful of young goldfinches - I counted 5!

The little goldfinches have grown a lot. They look funny all bobbing up and down in the nest!

They look like proper little birds now with just a bit of downy fluff still poking through the brown feathers. They have a yellow flash on their wings as well as black and white on wings and tails. They don't have the red and black markings on their head. They do have a paler front/chest.

They seem almost too big for the nest and it's funny to see their little heads poking out as they all jostle for position, preen themselves and each other and beg the other babies for food. They still hunker down and sleep in a mound, though! They most often seem asleep in the mornings.

The parents come to feed them, usually together, but one immediately after the other in most cases, hopping up gradually through the branches to reach them and one waiting for the other to finish before taking a turn of feeding the chicks.

When the wind blows the nest is tipped to a 90 degree angle. No birds have fallen so far (as far as I can see). Once, one flapped to keep balance and the mum covered them to protect them. They all seem to hunker down in the nest when it tips.

The earlier poop protocol seems to be abandoned. Poop all down the sides of the nest!

Friday May 23rd 2025

Young goldfinches in the nest

Today, the goldfinches have been flapping a bit and repeatedly looking down over the edge of the nest. The two larger ones were sat on the edge of the nest and maybe on the adjoining branch for a little while. I don't think they'll all be with us much longer.

The parents still come to feed them. And during the sunny afternoons, the mum sits with wings outstretched sheltering her babies from the heat!

I wonder when they'll fledge..?

My friend came to see them, and got some great photos which she's kindly let me share with you (below)!

Photo by Dorothy Jackson

Photo by Dorothy Jackson

Saturday 24th May 2025

Sitting on the edge of the nest looking at the world

On Saturday, the baby goldfinches spent a lot of time sat on the edge of the nest, looking out, especially the larger two of the brood.

Monday 26th May 2025

Yesterday (Sunday), was very windy. The nest was thrashing around, dropping right down and then swinging back up vertically!

The goldfinch mum had carefully fastened it onto the rose branches but I could see that the fastening on the twig this side was beginning to loosen with the weight of a wet nest (it was also raining) thrashing about.

I was very worried about the goldfinch babies and spent all day checking on them.

They seemed to be able to keep their balance well, though, clambering and fluttering, although at one point one was clinging onto the bottom of the nest almost upside down, and flapping!

I was worried that the whole of the nest might come loose and drop!

I had thought that the older ones were ready to fledge. By late afternoon, sure enough, there were just three in the nest...

I'd seen one going out onto a branch and then hopping back in. I didn't see the older two leave, but I did see three goldfinches flying away, which I believe were the parents and one baby...

And then there were none!

This morning (Monday), I woke around 7am, and looked out. The goldfinch nest was completely empty (there'd been 3 bobbing about in the late evening as the wind was dying down). I had to assume they'd fledged safely...

I went back to bed for a little while and 20 minutes later, as I was getting up, I heard bird song outside the window. I quickly opened the curtains to look out and saw one of the babies further down in the rose branches.

One of the parents came to the edge of the branch and the baby hopped and fluttered closer...

Then the other parent appeared and hopped through the rose to look into the empty nest (the parents have always approached gradually, alighting on the other side of the rose bush and gradually hopping through the branches, usually the other parent keeping watch.)

Once the goldfinch had checked the nest and seen it empty, it hopped back towards the other parent. The one that had been with the baby flew off first, then the nest-checking parent, with baby flying off behind them just a split-second later, just like that!

And so, I was lucky enough to see the final (fifth) baby fly away to start its new life!

They flew off towards the field, the same direction as the 3 goldfinches I'd seen flying yesterday, which now makes me sure that that was one of the babies fledging, in think no. 2.

I think the babies (and parents) are still nearby, possibly in the conifers opposite, as the Merlin Bird App picked goldfinches up as I walked past the trees and once or twice I've seen an adult goldfinch perched there. I also saw two adult goldfinches sat on the wire next to our house plus one (I'm sure it was one of 'ours') at our bird feeder (picking up some sunflower hearts for their babies).

Later that afternoon, I was in the bedroom and heard goldfinch song again, close by, and saw the two adults coming up back through the rose to look into the nest. I was slightly worried this meant they'd lost their babies!! But one of them proceeded to inspect and peck at the bottom of the nest, so I can only assume that it was looking for a few dropped seeds.

Find out about the symbolism and mythology of goldfinches on this page, plus see my goldfinch artwork...

If you enjoyed reading about my goldfinch nest experiences from my nature journal, you might also like to find out more about nature journaling and see some of my other nature journal pages - all on this webpage...

You can also get my free guide to getting started with nature journaling, here...

And I have a short course of 20 exercises to help you start nature journaling in your own way that suits your life and personality here...

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If you'd like to explore nature journaling more, please consider joining me for my 'Imperfect Nature Journaling' online course - I've called it this to remind us to nature journal for the process of connecting with nature to feel good and not to put pressure on ourselves to create pretty pages which can quickly ruin the fun and the benefits...

It's a series of 20 lessons which are great exercises that you can do in your own nature journal to help you try out different ideas and techniques.

This will help you get the most out of your nature journaling sessions and understand what style of nature journaling is the best for you personally.

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