Hello,
I have this little fella in the garden, completely not afraid of me. I think it's greenfinch fledgling?? But in November??
He let me move him into bushes he came from with gloves on, as when he failed to reach the fence, he got himself cornered into very busy area with magpies and jackdaws.
Doesn't seem to have eating or wings quite figured out. Came very close to me, not minding me moving about. Seems to come out of hiding when i'm out (big birds stay away then).
When I picked him up to move him I noticed what seems to be a little wound possibly but didn't want to mess with him to check further. With not seeing greenfinch adults here before, I'm a bit baffled where he came from to be fair and why he's so tame with me.
I first saw him last night 10PM which I've found odd.
I kind of want to let him be, just wonder why so late in the year and why so timid? Doesn't seem normal to me?
What do you think?
I am afraid its more of a sick greenfinch you have, (fat finch disease - trichomonosis)
You can read more about the condition in the link below
www.bto.org/.../trichomonosis
it's best you take down your feeders and give them a deep clean before putting back out in a few weeks .
Sorry to give you the bad news but we gotta do what's best for the rest of the birds and try stop the spread by removing the feeders for a while.
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
Thank you so much. I was really baffled what's going on. I just found it dead. What should I do with it? General bin?
Aww, sorry I am no expert in disposal but I would definitely scoop it up and bag it and bin it , others may advice you differently but as I say I am no expert
Thanks I've bagged it up and sent report to BTO.
I've emptied and cleared anything he was accessing or attempting to access.
I'm so new to all this so thank you for help.
Worried about my garden birdies now!
It's odd he showed up as I've seen all sorts of birds coming but never greenfinch. And it looked so puffed up I thought it must be a youngster.
Also important if you have any water dishes or birdbaths to empty and give a good clean. It is a worrying time but I have also had to deep clean and put my feeders away over the years due to ill birds showing up but the birds always have returned when I put the feeders back out, we gotta do what's right to try keep the spread of disease at bay.
****Update**** I had a call from BTO. Saying there's an outbreak they are studying together with other agencies. So I have been told as it is the only affected bird found and others look happy and healthy, that I don't need to stop feeding.
Sorry, clicked send too early. So don't need to stop feeding and if I do see another sick bird to call them and leave everything until speaking to them as they may want to send one of their scientists for site visit to take samples before it's all disposed
Wow that is a surprise as its not yet cold enough for any disease to naturally die off!
Perhaps they're hoping for live subjects to learn more from? Perhaps the disease dies once the bird does so they need live samples. Complete guesswork as to not saying everything should be cleaned at put away for a while.
So I have thoroughly cleaned and desinfected everything anyway for now. Even though I just did it on Saturday. I poured boiling water over the ground below feeders. Threw away whatever food was there and replaced fresh. Just in case. Can't be sure what this one got into.
I will continue feeding as per her request and then if any more show up sick I'll give them a call and not clean/clear until they say to do so.
If more show up sick they may want to take samples across the garden- soil/feeders/water sources etc.
Kind of bad luck to see first finch in my garden and for it to be a sick one :(