Small bird breeding season.

[scotia]

We also had goldfinches in the garden today. Pretty cool.

Their spread up through Scotland has been remarkable in the past decade. The goldfinches are probably now more common than chaffinches and greenfinches in our garden in Central Scotland - but go back 20 years I don't think we would ever have seen a goldfinch..

[dspp]

Global warming anyone?

I really like their frizzy hair do

Regards, dspp

[Nimrod103]

We also had goldfinches in the garden today. Pretty cool.

Their spread up through Scotland has been remarkable in the past decade. The goldfinches are probably now more common than chaffinches and greenfinches in our garden in Central Scotland - but go back 20 years I don't think we would ever have seen a goldfinch..

I've started to get goldfinches in my garden (in SE England), but this is only due to the fact that now I regularly put out niger seed, which they feed on. I presume this niger seed food is a relatively new phenomenon in the bird feed world, and must have improved the breeding success of goldfinches considerably.

I haven't seen a chaffinch for quite a while, but I only put food out in hanging containers which they can't cling on to. If I put food on the ground or bird table, the ****** woodpigeons would scoff the lot. Greenfinches I guess are still scarce because of the parasite which they pick up from bird tables.

[tjh290633]

We get plenty of greenfinches on the black sunflower seed feeders. Chaffinches, being ground feeders, often go for spillage from other feeders. So, of course, do the woodpigeons, dunnocks, robins and blackbirds.

TJH

[Dod101]

I spotted a goldfinch in a bush by what would normally be a busy road about two weeks ago in very central Scotland ( Gleneagles actually) First time I can actually say that I have seen one. Attractive little bird I must say. (That sounds slightly uncouth to my ears but is true)

Dod

[oldapple]

Last year, here in rural N Ireland, I counted at least 8 goldfinches on a thistle that had gone to seed in a field just a few feet away from us. But for the first time ever I saw a woodpecker just a few days ago helping itself to the peanut feeder - I didn't realise how big they are compared to the normal visitors. I don't think I've seen any yellowhammers though.