Oh I really enjoyed this, I feel a book on our native birds is your next calling ?? My grandfather bred canaries, I remember how clean everything was, and how joyful. I share your opinion on grey squirrels, I have seen the killing that they do here in rural Wales, it is heartbreaking. They do more damage here than cats. They are terrible carnivores, something many people don't realise. I remember them reeking havoc in my grandmother's garden in Nottinghamshire, eating baby birds and her tulip bulbs . She was not amused.
I also saw three male bullfinches just the other day in our back garden! They didn't touch any of the feeders but spent time in our unkempt boundary scrub of shrubs, common honeysuckle, brambles and weeds. I was also mesmerised! Perhaps there were also three females along with them but I failed to notice with their soft coffee coloured markings? :)
This is such good advice, thank you! We’ve bought a couple of bird feeders but haven’t had much luck apart from the crows who knock the food onto the floor then everyone eats it! I wonder if my placement is out?!
What a lovely post brimming with poetry and practicality. The grey squirrels are alarmingly tame in our garden: increasingly daring the mili-second the compost bin is outside the kitchen door waiting to be emptied. we haven't seen a bullfinch yet but the woodpeckers are a joy for us and we are ever-hopeful for the return of last summer's magnificent owl.
I saw a bullfinch in the garden last week. My first sighting for many years. I hope it comes back when the cherry tree starts to bud. I never used to mind the grey squirrel that frequented our garden until it made it's way into the roof. Oh my, the damage - insulation destroyed, wires chewed - and all in the 48 hours it took to deal with it. Now I happily call pest control as soon as one appears. You aren't allowed to trap and release them in the UK, but they can be trapped and dispatched. Thanks goodness we have a pest control guy who is neither squeamish nor sentimental. I don't feed the garden birds for the reasons you mention - I would never remember to clean up every week, plus the minute we put bird feeders out the rats appear, I mean real rats not squirrels. And we are semi-rural.
Maybe a trap and dispatch write up is called for Prince Charles’s when he was prince once called for a nationwide cull unfortunately he didn’t get anywhere but it should have happened. The poor red squirrels and those who are trying to keep them safe from greys are fighting a very hard battles especially with how out of touch heavy ‘animal rights’ people are
Your writing is so engaging and intelligent. Beats the gardening column crap in the guardian by miles . Have had goldfinches and blue tits eating the seeds from the left standing verbena bonariensis . The simplest and purest delight
Here in my woodland I get multiple small birds on my feeders and of course grey squirrel. I found the best deterrent was a slinky on the support pole - but even that they have worked out. I use a super soaker as a deterrent but mostly miss. A holly hedge is a good suggestion
Beautiful photo! I have two pairs of bullfinch’s coming to my feeders. The last few years a pair always eats the buds off my old apple tree. I’m wondering if that’s why i only had 5 apples last year and hardly any blossom! They are magnificent though and I just love hearing their haunting call . I have hawthorn, holly and a huge old yew bordering my garden. The yew is in my neighbours and one year they had tree surgeons in trimming the top. I noticed a goldfinch going crazy and fluttering around the top of it. I realised it must be nesting so screamed at them to stop! They said they would come back another time. Should never have been doing it in spring! Luckily the goldfinch soon settled down and hopefully went on to raise her brood
. I used to breed budgies in an avairy my dad built in my garden when I was around 10. Absolutely loved them and spent many happy hours just sitting in there with them.
Oh I really enjoyed this, I feel a book on our native birds is your next calling ?? My grandfather bred canaries, I remember how clean everything was, and how joyful. I share your opinion on grey squirrels, I have seen the killing that they do here in rural Wales, it is heartbreaking. They do more damage here than cats. They are terrible carnivores, something many people don't realise. I remember them reeking havoc in my grandmother's garden in Nottinghamshire, eating baby birds and her tulip bulbs . She was not amused.
Thankyou for a lovely post this Sunday Morning x
I also saw three male bullfinches just the other day in our back garden! They didn't touch any of the feeders but spent time in our unkempt boundary scrub of shrubs, common honeysuckle, brambles and weeds. I was also mesmerised! Perhaps there were also three females along with them but I failed to notice with their soft coffee coloured markings? :)
This is such good advice, thank you! We’ve bought a couple of bird feeders but haven’t had much luck apart from the crows who knock the food onto the floor then everyone eats it! I wonder if my placement is out?!
What a lovely post brimming with poetry and practicality. The grey squirrels are alarmingly tame in our garden: increasingly daring the mili-second the compost bin is outside the kitchen door waiting to be emptied. we haven't seen a bullfinch yet but the woodpeckers are a joy for us and we are ever-hopeful for the return of last summer's magnificent owl.
I saw a bullfinch in the garden last week. My first sighting for many years. I hope it comes back when the cherry tree starts to bud. I never used to mind the grey squirrel that frequented our garden until it made it's way into the roof. Oh my, the damage - insulation destroyed, wires chewed - and all in the 48 hours it took to deal with it. Now I happily call pest control as soon as one appears. You aren't allowed to trap and release them in the UK, but they can be trapped and dispatched. Thanks goodness we have a pest control guy who is neither squeamish nor sentimental. I don't feed the garden birds for the reasons you mention - I would never remember to clean up every week, plus the minute we put bird feeders out the rats appear, I mean real rats not squirrels. And we are semi-rural.
Maybe a trap and dispatch write up is called for Prince Charles’s when he was prince once called for a nationwide cull unfortunately he didn’t get anywhere but it should have happened. The poor red squirrels and those who are trying to keep them safe from greys are fighting a very hard battles especially with how out of touch heavy ‘animal rights’ people are
Absolutely
I LONG to see a finch like this in the flesh. L. Winter Beauty has been in my basket for too long…just bought. Thank you
Your writing is so engaging and intelligent. Beats the gardening column crap in the guardian by miles . Have had goldfinches and blue tits eating the seeds from the left standing verbena bonariensis . The simplest and purest delight
Here in my woodland I get multiple small birds on my feeders and of course grey squirrel. I found the best deterrent was a slinky on the support pole - but even that they have worked out. I use a super soaker as a deterrent but mostly miss. A holly hedge is a good suggestion
I have learned a lot reading your article. Thank you.
Beautiful photo! I have two pairs of bullfinch’s coming to my feeders. The last few years a pair always eats the buds off my old apple tree. I’m wondering if that’s why i only had 5 apples last year and hardly any blossom! They are magnificent though and I just love hearing their haunting call . I have hawthorn, holly and a huge old yew bordering my garden. The yew is in my neighbours and one year they had tree surgeons in trimming the top. I noticed a goldfinch going crazy and fluttering around the top of it. I realised it must be nesting so screamed at them to stop! They said they would come back another time. Should never have been doing it in spring! Luckily the goldfinch soon settled down and hopefully went on to raise her brood
. I used to breed budgies in an avairy my dad built in my garden when I was around 10. Absolutely loved them and spent many happy hours just sitting in there with them.
Beautiful colour ❤️