Goldfinches flocking above the garden at dusk

After a short walk along the old lane called Horns Road, where I stood staring at the rather dark landscape, I returned home. As I came into the front garden I could hear the telltale tweittering of a charm of goldfinches, and I knew exactly where they would be. I went down the path beside the house to the back garden and stood above the patio. The goldfinches were already gathered in the old ash tree which they now seem to do every evening as dusk approaches.

The light was getting very poor so I don't really know how I got this shot, especially with such a low ISO. This was taken just as they took off for another of their short flights in a circle around the various gardens and over the Horns Valley. They quickly resettle on one of thew three main trees on the edge of the slope down to the stream. I love this event.

At one point in their circulations I took a photo and on it I could count more than forty-five goldfinches in the air at once.