Regular Notes on Nature readers will probably be building up quite a good picture of the birds we see from our window here, with the webcam feeder stationed outside. Great spotted woodpeckers, magpies and grey wagtails have all featured recently, however today it’s more a case of what we didn’t see.
As we wandered over to the canteen today for a quick breakfast (or in my case, second breakfast!) we stopped near a recent addition to feeders here at The Lodge, one outside the Wildlife Enquiries new offices. The reason for our stop was that I was watching the chaffinches, attempting to turn them into bramblings, when I noticed a yellowy-green bird on their feeder. A siskin! Now those who know me, will know I’m not a big fan of green going with yellow, but I’ll make an exception for this little finch, a winter visitor to these parts.
Now this is all very well, but I wasn’t entirely converted, why is it not on our feeder?! I mean, I like the Wildlife team, but their new feeder seems to have siskins, and, so I’ve heard, even a brambling. What’s wrong with our feeder? Can’t the siskin just fly a little bit further, or just visit once in a while over it’s winter stay?
But that’s partly the beauty of nature, you can’t tell it where to go and what to do, although it would be nice for the bramblings and siskins to discover our feeder, I’m sure it’s the best!
Ps. Maybe it’s a best they don’t, we might not get too much work done if they did!
For more on our science, check out the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science web pages.
A male siskin finally discovered the feeder this morning! Stopping of for all of about 10 seconds, lets just hope that isn't all for this year.
Loved this post Kevin. I have 5 feeders... why do the birds go to some and not the others? Why do the feeders in the front garden get eaten first (because the back garden has the sparrowhawk?). Haven't seen any siskins yet this year.. still looking