We are lucky to have 4 regular gold finches, in fact the first year that we put out our niger feeder we had two gold finches which were most welcome in our garden, last year those two had a family and we were up to 8 or 9 gf at one time, this year we are down to 4, and I just hope that they may multiply again next year - they like the niger seeds but also my wild flower area where we have teasels (not ready to eat yet though) and other seeding flowers.
Feeding has slowed down here. The farmers are harvesting the winter wheat and barley and the birds are scoffing the spillage which leaves me with the ones that like peanuts and fat balls. Found a load of huge slugs eating leftover ground food this morning so reduced rations till harvesting is done.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast. "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Having seen the male Bullfinch hanging around my garden over recent weeks, i was thrilled today to see that he is now allowing Mrs Bullfinch to accompany him...
Nice pictures Lead farmer, lovely birds - we don't see them in our garden, just the chaffinch which is almost equally nice but we see them so often so they become common place here. You paint a lovely picture in my mind of the farmers harvesting the wheat, but not of the slugs eating the left over bird food obelixx!
A little bit of effort reaps dividends and what a great reward for your effort LeadFarmer. I have just been watching 8 goldfinches eating the seeds from the knapweeds that we grew from seed last year - the flowers are finishing and the seeds are setting. The flowers have been attracting bees for the last 2 or 3 months and now the added bonus of the goldfinches. No photos yet - they are such small flighty birds so are difficult to photograph.
Posts
We are lucky to have 4 regular gold finches, in fact the first year that we put out our niger feeder we had two gold finches which were most welcome in our garden, last year those two had a family and we were up to 8 or 9 gf at one time, this year we are down to 4, and I just hope that they may multiply again next year - they like the niger seeds but also my wild flower area where we have teasels (not ready to eat yet though) and other seeding flowers.
Feeding has slowed down here. The farmers are harvesting the winter wheat and barley and the birds are scoffing the spillage which leaves me with the ones that like peanuts and fat balls. Found a load of huge slugs eating leftover ground food this morning so reduced rations till harvesting is done.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Having seen the male Bullfinch hanging around my garden over recent weeks, i was thrilled today to see that he is now allowing Mrs Bullfinch to accompany him...
Nice pictures Lead farmer, lovely birds - we don't see them in our garden, just the chaffinch which is almost equally nice but we see them so often so they become common place here. You paint a lovely picture in my mind of the farmers harvesting the wheat, but not of the slugs eating the left over bird food obelixx!
I haven't seen Bullfinches in my garden ever, until recently. Im keeping the feeders full to keep them here.
A little bit of effort reaps dividends and what a great reward for your effort LeadFarmer. I have just been watching 8 goldfinches eating the seeds from the knapweeds that we grew from seed last year - the flowers are finishing and the seeds are setting. The flowers have been attracting bees for the last 2 or 3 months and now the added bonus of the goldfinches. No photos yet - they are such small flighty birds so are difficult to photograph.
Last edited: 29 July 2016 20:01:45