Hi everyone, its been very quiet in my garden today, the snow has melted in the rain.
No blackbirds despite getting about 9-10 during the snow, no starlings either, quite a calm but eerie atmosphere. I've just had my usual hoard of birds & all the extras I had during the snow seem to have used me & left me.
However I did have a huge flock of Goldfinches arrive this afternoon about 2.30, I had my usual 6-8 numbers feeding happily then loads just kept coming from nowhere, they were even feeding on the spilt seed on the floor.
I was trying to count them at first. I couldn't get a photo as my Mum has borrowed my camera for her weekend away. There were around 20 birds at a guess, I gave up trying to count them at 16 as there was a huge frenzy & squabble for the niger feeders.
I phoned my O/H & he was in a grump as he doesn't get any. I was just bewildered!
Then as quick as they had come they had gone again, it only lasted about 5 minutes. I am guessing these were just another flock flying over & spotted mine feeding & grabbed what they could.
Do you think they will come back & join my little flock ? Or will the 2 flocks battle it out for territory. Are Goldfinches territorial?
Unknown said: Lovely pic Janet. That reminds me I am going to order some of those feeder rings to clip on to my feeders for the goldfinches, They must be so much more comfortable than eating sideways.
Lovely pic Janet. That reminds me I am going to order some of those feeder rings to clip on to my feeders for the goldfinches, They must be so much more comfortable than eating sideways.
I find the ones with the round rings are the best feeders, its also the ones the birds fight over the most, they like them so I try to only buy that type. or if you look in the photo the one next to that had thin bits to stand on, but I got my husband to make some wood pegs to go over them they now like that one alot too.
Hey farmer, farmer, put away the D.D.T now. Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees, please!
Hi Janet, I have seen them online, they are quite pricey really for a bit of plastic that costs about 30p each to make but I am sure they are worth it. It is going to have to wait until I get paid this month though as my birds have bankrupt me with the snow lol.
I bought a new feeder recently that came with 4 free rings to slot over the perches - the sort you buy for about 30p. I put them on 4 of the perches but all my birds (goldies included) used the original ones. After a few days I took them off and they are now in my bird cupboard.
Just as a PS my goldies increased in number again today - 6 of them came. Just got 6 missing now!
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Try doing what I got my hubby to do, I let him take a few bits of wood from my wood pile, he cut them to three/four inch long, then he put them in his vice and drilled a hole down the center just a bit bigger then the pech on the feeder, then he banged on the new wooded pech on and the birds love them, they are much better for the birds to hold on to and a better size for they feet.. also cheaper. you can do this with all the feeders like that. use a bit of glue if they don't stay. :-)
AW I'm so pleased you are getting your goldfinches back Sparrow.
Yeh Janet your hubby's handiwork looks really good. It makes sense to have wooden perches, they are more ergonomic for the birds feet than the thin plastic or metal rods.
Unknown said: AW I'm so pleased you are getting your goldfinches back Sparrow. Yeh Janet your hubby's handiwork looks really good. It makes sense to have wooden perches, they are more ergonomic for the birds feet than the thin plastic or metal rods.
much better for they feet, and the are made from wood off my apple tree.
Hi Janet.
When I had my rabbits years ago I used to search Surrey for people with untreated apple trees so I could have the branches they cut back. It's excellent for rabbits teeth but most people with the trees don't realise & just put them in the recycle bin. You can make a fortune selling them to rabbit owners.
I kept most we cut from the tree, I made a woodpile the bids love it, getting all the bugs from it. when we move in my apple tree had not been cut for over six years, it was as tall as my house! I know it looks a bit bare now, it was a very hard cut, but it makes a great bird feeding station.
Hi all, -
Janet - fantastic picture! No vancancies at your feeders then :-)
Just FYI goldfinches are well known to be highly sociable outside of the breeding season from late summer through to spring. Also during the breeding season smaller flocks of none breeders can often be seen. Generally family parties begin to gather into loose nomadic flocks around mid-August, and as autmn approach these groups often gather into more compact and larger flocks of up to hundreds and sometimes evebn thousands.
They have a more relaxed attitude during breeding season and territorial drive tends to be lower than is seen in many other species. They breed in small "neighbourhood" groups of up to 10 pairs. The actual "territory" is just the area immediately around the nest site (used just for mating and nesting). All food foraging is done outside of this area up to 800m or so from the nest site. Its thought that pair formation happens when in the large flocks outside of the breeding season.