If push came to shove and I was forced to definitively name my number one British bird the answer, almost invariably, would be the bullfinch, (while acknowledging the relative merits of both the starling and the shoveller).
I can remember how, when gazing out of my bedroom window as a kid, the sight of bullfinches would always demand my close observation in a manner never matched by the gardens more regular feathered fare. This was likely to be in part due to their relative scarcity (at least in proximity to the bedroom of my youth), but more so in reflection of the vivid plumage of the males in particular. The clean delineation between their jet black head and the plump pink breast feathers added to their telltale gleaming white rump coalesce to form a thing of undeniable beauty. Suffice to say homework always fell further towards the backburner during these infrequent interludes.
Sadly bullfinches were in a steady decline because of the usual dismal subjects - habitat loss and persecution. Their great love of soft fruit brought them into direct competition with fruit farmers with a predictable outcome. Added to this their winning looks made them a target of illegal trappers for the caged bird trade. To address this decline the bullfinch was made a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species and the indications are that these interventions are bearing fruit.
Working on Lodmoor last week we repeatedly saw a pair loyal to the hedge alongside reserve entrance at the end of Southdown Avenue. A separate group of four was spotted on Melcombe Path and Allan and Frank had up to six around the Viewing Shelter this morning. Radipole too is boasting its fair share with the scrub either side of the kissing gate often quite reliable. Twice last week visitors commented to me how plentiful bullfinches have been of late, both on the reserves and in the wider countryside which is a very welcome observation.
A recent trip to Cornwall also provided unusually frequent bullfinch sightings and I even managed a fleeting glimpse from the bedroom window of my youth... pleasingly the fascination remains undiminished!
Photo: Steve Round (rspb-images.com).
It is good to see the Bullfinch around the Reserves, I hope this will indicate a good breeding season and consequently a lot more sightings.
Seize the day!