Happy New Year!
I've spent the last few days up with my parents in Worcestershire, and the pick of the garden wildlife moments was all down to the magic of nyjer seed.
I'm sure many of you are familiar with nyjer - it is a very fine, black, thistle-like seed that came onto the market a decade or so ago.
At first the feeders for it were awful, with holes that spilt more onto the ground than went into birds' bellies.
They're now getting a lot better, and more and more people are now feeding nyjer knowing that it is a magnet for Goldfinches, and can be great for Siskins too.
But over the last couple of winters, something amazing started to happen. Out of nowhere, Lesser Redpolls started cottoning on to nyjer seed in rural gardens across the country. Last year, small numbers began to visit my parents' nyjer feeders, and this year, between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve, numbers steadily climbed from three to ten.
Apologies for the poor photo taken through the kitchen window, but here is one on the birdbath. Notice the red 'poll', the little black patch in front of the eye (and from in front you'd see it has a black chin too), the fine yellow bill, the chestnut streaks down its belly and sides, and the thick creamy wing bar.
Here's a good test. Pick out the three Redpolls, here on the lawn under the nyjer feeder:
The Goldfinch on the right is east to spot. But the second from the left is a female Chaffinch. See how her whiter wingbar has a pale spur coming off it, and she is paler and plainer underneath. Out in the open, you'd see that she is bigger, longer-tailed, and with a stouter grey bill.
And on the left here is a brightly coloured male Redpoll, with a duller female or youngster on the nyjer feeder.
As you can see, the Lesser Redpoll is one of our sweetest finches, a tiny thing. But it is one of our most declined birds in the UK, so much so that it is on the Red List. There are now probably just 25,000 pairs in the country.
But how wonderful if more and more of them take to gardens in winter and, helped by all our nyjer seed, survive to boost the stricken breeding populations. It's certainly one to watch out for on Big Garden Birdwatch weekend at the end of the month.
And if you're not feeding nyjer yet, now is definitely the time to start.
I love your story, ChrisB, of your Waxwings being the thing that drew you into garden birds, in what sounds like hook, line and sinker! Keep watching - my parents' Redpolls seem to stay into late March, which is usually the time when Siskins build up in gardens too. You could have a very colourful early spring.
I started feeding the birds in my garden last February after a flock of waxwings landed in my apple tree (I didn't even know what one was at the time but they got me hooked on birds!). I started putting out nyger seed to attract goldfinch, which it did eventually although they have moved onto sunflower hearts now. Then in November I noticed a tiny brown finch with a red head and pinkish tummy perched on the nyger feeder. Since then, like yours, they have steadily increased in number - I would say I have a minimum of 10 now, possibly up to fifteen (they mingle with the chaffinch and house sparrows!). They are tamer than many of the other birds in that they are the last to fly away when all the other birds do. They are also costing me a fortune in nyger seed as they empty the feeder every couple of days, but it is well worth it! They've been here for a month now, so I am just wondering how long they will stay!
I’ve tried Nyjer seed for years with no takers, I’ve tried in Nyjer seed feeders, mixing it with other seed, putting it in fat balls and scattering it on the ground. There are at least six Goldfinches in the garden but they very rarely visit the feeders and then never feed.
Corni, I noticed a drop in numbers when the fledglings left but my feeders are still very busy. I am rural and have no one near who feeds the birds, your idea that they are going to other feeders could be right. I also feed the birds 365 days a year, if you only put food out when the weather gets cold, your birds may have become regulars at some other table.
Hi Corni, yes I have noticed the few birds coming into our garden too but I am putting it down to the ever so mild weather we are having?? Maybe there is still enough food out for them in the woods and fields to eat and they dont have the hunger to come and visit us!?
Love your fotos Adrian, I have a lot of Goldfinches coming to my garden for their niger seeds!! I have never seen a redpoll! Beautiful bird's, Tina
Hi Corni
What part of the country are you in? And are you town or countryside?
Adrian