The Cloud-Collector's Treasure

Caught in a beautiful horizontal profile on the historic grounds of Fonte Sala in Montefalco, Italy, a European goldfinch clutches a soft tuft of white nesting supplies in its beak. Set against a dreamy, painterly backdrop of distant blurred trees, the brightly colored bird sits proudly on a textured evergreen branch. In local old-world folklore, these industrious birds are considered the premier architects of the forest, gathering cloud-like fluff to insulate their secret nurseries against the tricks of mischievous wind-sprites. It is a wonderfully charming, educational glimpse into native European bird behavior and the delicate natural beauty of the Mediterranean countryside.