After bemoaning the disappearance of some of my finches, I had a welcome return today. A siskin pair - the same pair who have previously been "regulars" in 2010. I know they are the same pair because one of them wears a lovely silver ring. They have been missing from my garden for 3 or 4 weeks, so I was over the moon to see them again.
Then this afternoon, yet another brilliant return from a bird i thought I would lose for the summer. Again, I haven't seen him for 3 or 4 weeks, but today he came back and helped himself to the nyjer seed. He is still wearing his brilliant breeding plumage, but today he didn't have his mate with him. Is she sitting on a nest somewhere? I hope so. Yes, it's my lovely redpoll.
Not content with these two returning rovers, I have a nest!!!!! I was beginning to think I would never have one, but this afternoon I watched a starling coming and going through a hole in the soffit boards on the top corner of our house, above the ivy. The starling was busy collecting mouthfuls of mealworms and taking them to the nest - so they have babies. This hole is there because the soffits in this area were ruined by the ivy, which hubby cut back last autumn. We had some estimates for repair before Christmas and it is very lucky we did nothing about it at the time. It will now have to wait until next autumn!!
All in all, a wonderful day at number 41.
Cheers, Linda.
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A wonderful day indeed and your photos just get better. Never ever seen one in the flesh.
Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. ~ Mark Twain
Hi Sparrow
Congratulations on your wonderful day!
That redpoll is so pretty. I'm envious because I want one! LOL
Best wishes Chris
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Sparrow that Is good news all round,nice pics too!
Littleowl
Beautiful photos there Sparrow. The Redpoll is a stunning wee fella
Cheers
AL
If its no fun Yer no doin it right!
That does sound like a wonderful day Sparrow, congratulations!
Your Redpoll is a handsome little chap, I do hope his mate is sitting on a nest and you'll see babies soon :o)
Lovely photos, you are lucky to have redpolls. I did have siskins a few years ago but nothing since. As to your nest, well done, although if they're starlings they'll be eating you out of house and home but lovely none the less.
Regards
Kerry
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Oh you lucky thing that you are.Linda
Your Redpolls are beautiful and all that plumage to show for it too
Dreamy pictues and got at a good angle too.
Kathy and Dave
Thank you everyone,
I must admit my first reaction to the starling nest was to wonder whether I really need another batch of starlings, but hey!! They are babies and will be lovely to see. Better than my ungrateful bluetit, who is still eating my food but nesting elsewhere, despite his luxury nest box on my wall!
Aye some birds are worse than Teenagers lol
Great to see your redpoll back. They are such colouful birds. Haven' t seen any for a couple of months at least. I believe they tend to move north to breed so you may be lucky and have some baby redpolls soon.
Like you I put up a nest box fitted with a camera but absolutely no interest whatsoever. Ungrateful little so and so's.
TJ
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Tony
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