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Photo Study Of A Common Chaffinch In Union Township (Hunterdon County, NJ), January 18th, 2012

    With the temperatures soaring this morning into the mid-thirties and the promise of bright sunshine, how could I not go back again to try and
   photograph the male Common Chaffinch that has been hanging out for the past few weeks at the feeders of a very generous family in Asbury,
   New Jersey. The bird was exceptionally cooperative today, giving great views to the birders as well as the picture-takers assembled. It showed up
   four times for as long as three to four minutes each time between 9:50 AM and noon. Here are some of today's photos:

Common Chaffinch Sings

Feeding On The Ground

Checking Things Out

Looking For Predators

Just Sitting Around Soaking Up The Sunshine

Watching Us From The Cedar Tree

     The Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) is a small passerine bird in the family Fringillidae. It is 6 inches
     long; has a wingspan of 10-11.5 inches and weighs about 1 ounce. The Common Chaffinch is the U.K.'s
     most common finch and has striking double white wing bars. The wing bars are formed by white patches
     on the wing coverts and the primary and secondary wing feathers. Its summer plumage is brighter than
     its winter plumage. The male Common Chaffinch has a pink breast and cheeks, blue-grey crown and nape
     and a chestnut brown back. In summer, its bill is gray-blue, turning to pale brown in the winter. The
     female has an olive-brown back, and gray-brown underparts becoming almost white towards the rump,
     which is greenish. The juveniles are similar to the female but lack the greenish rump. The bill is brown in
     both the female and juveniles. This bird is widespread and very familiar throughout Europe. It is the most
     common finch in western Europe, and the second most common bird in the British Isles. Its range extends
     into western Asia and northwestern Africa. It was introduced from Britain into a number of its overseas
     territories in the 18th and 19th centuries. In New Zealand, it is a common species. In South Africa, a very
     small breeding colony still lives in the suburbs of Constantia, Hout Bay and Camps Bay near Cape Town.
                                                                                 (British Garden Birds; Wikipedia; BirdGuides.com)

To see a larger image of any of the photos below, please click on either the thumbnails or the captions...thanks!


CommonChaffinch 1	CommonChaffinch 2	CommonChaffinch 3	CommonChaffinch 4	CommonChaffinch 5

CommonChaffinch 6	CommonChaffinch 7	CommonChaffinch 8	CommonChaffinch 9	CommonChaffinch 10

I was also able to get some photos of the Common Chaffinch on January 9th, 2012.
The weather was not as cooperative so the images were just ok, not great. To see them, please click on the following photo link: