Tuesday 7 September 2010

Goldies Galore

For the past few days there have been at least ten Goldfinches visiting the garden each day. When they are not at the feeders I can hear them twittering to each other in the nearby bushes and trees.

Goldfinch

Yesterday was the first time I have actually seen any hot tempers between the goldies. Normally they sit peacefully eating the Nyjer seeds. This time it is Bobby scaring the birds away as he says hello to one of his girlfriends.



There seem to be a good proportion of juveniles in the group. Here there are three with two adults.

Goldfinches

The three juvenile Magpies are still constant visitors though rarely all at the same time.

Magpie

Today seems so calm after the blustery weather of the day before. Plenty of rain overnight with the rain gauge showing 0.8 of an inch. Last night we had another of what seem to be getting more frequent power cuts. This time the village was without power for two hours.  Thank goodness I hung on to my old metal kettle and have a gas cooker. At least I could make a cup of tea.

8 comments:

  1. It's great to see the Goldfinches in such healthy numbers John. Love hearing their 'chatter' too.

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  2. Flocks of goldfinches often sound to me like a bunch of excited kids. We get quite a few in winter and once had a nest in a cypress hedge - a beautiful cup-shaped construction that looked like it was lined with dandelion seed parachutes. I particularly like the way they shred thistle seed heads at this time of year, sending a trail of thistledown drifting downwind...

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  3. I can see from that video how their beaks are perfectly adapted for a specific purpose - ie. getting seeds out of flower heads (and feeders).

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  4. It is Keith. I hope they stay healthy this year. While we were out for our early morning walk a small flock flew over on its was to my garden, all calling to each other.

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  5. A good description of their chatter Phil. Always fascinating to watch seed eaters strip the husk, drop it and still keep the kernel to eat.

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  6. They are Matron. I read that their beak is 1mm longer than some other seed eaters so they can reach seeds in plants like the teasel which others cannot reach.

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  7. We often hear them 'twittering' but they rarely stop long and never for a photocall.

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  8. Hello Frank. This is only the second year they have visited the feeders and this year's flock is still building. Now there are about twenty all trying to feed at the same time.

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Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Any comment, or correction to any information or identification I get wrong, is most welcome. John

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