Our stand of cup plants has had one of fits most impressive years of flowering, and the goldfinches of which Andy is so fond have been visiting consistently for the past month, eagerly chewing on the flowerheads and burgeoning seeds, while sipping from the little leaf axel cups that give the plant its common name. They will continue their feeding for quite some time, up to the end of fall and sometimes early winter, somehow managing to find missed seeds and sustenance even after it seems they must have exhausted all of them.
Andy and I have watched them from the kitchen window, as they congregate in groups of six to eight, fluttering about, sometimes sharing seeds in actions that look like they could be kissing. Occasionally a hummingbird gets in on the action, floating by and stealing a sip of nectar in between the finches mad scramble for food. We will miss this scene come winter.
