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Post by rowanberry on Jul 7, 2016 20:13:57 GMT
I can't think of what else this might be... I'd be really happy if it is, because that would mean that the pair we've had visiting for the past few months have brought their young ones to the garden.   Goldfinch Juvenile by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr |
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Post by ayjay on Jul 7, 2016 22:23:47 GMT
Yes definitely, juvenile Goldfinch.
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Post by kentyeti on Jul 8, 2016 11:07:15 GMT
Lovely birds, nice photo. Not had any Juveniles in my garden yet this year. In previous years I've had two broods or even more. Keeping my fingers crossed they appear soon.
Cheers,
Bryan
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Post by aeshna5 on Jul 8, 2016 16:47:26 GMT
Had a few juveniles in my garden on both sunflower hearts + nyger.
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Post by accipiter on Jul 8, 2016 18:31:53 GMT
The spread and success over the last few years has just been amazing as they were in good numbers in each county I visited recently, not to mention on my own patch. They also seemed to have become much more urbanized too over the last few years.
Alan
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Post by kentyeti on Jul 8, 2016 20:23:44 GMT
The spread and success over the last few years has just been amazing as they were in good numbers in each county I visited recently, not to mention on my own patch. They also seemed to have become much more urbanized too over the last few years. Alan Certainly got good numbers here Alan. And, by pure coincidence with this thread, today was the day for cleaning their two large nyger seed feeders. Did one at a time so as not to disturb their eating, as I leave them for a couple of hours to make sure the insides are fully dry before I re-fill them. Cheers, Bryan |
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Post by rowanberry on Jul 8, 2016 21:05:47 GMT
Thanks for the confimation, everyone. I'm so pleased that we finally have a pair, (and now hopefully this young one, too) after years of not having any at all. |
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Post by alf1951 on Jul 11, 2016 6:33:51 GMT
I don't think I've ever seen a juvenile goldfinch in our garden but then one turned up yesterday on the feeder. Thanks for posting this image because it was only thanks to this that I recognised the bird immediately.
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Post by Tringa on Jul 11, 2016 8:09:06 GMT
Goldfinches appear to be the big success story in small birds over the last few years. For two years at least they have been the top bird in the Garden Birdwatch and they are the most common bird in the garden at just about any time of the day.
They also seem to be moving north. In the part of NW Scotland I know best (Gairloch) there were very few until a few years ago (it was unusual to see more than one at time). There are not large numbers now but there are sufficeint for them to have bred this year.
Does anyone have any idea why there has been this increase? Is it just, as Bryan has suggested, they are becoming more urbanised and have found an easy source of food?
Dave
In our garden the goldfinches will eat niger seed but it is the sunflower hearts they really like.
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Post by rowanberry on Jul 11, 2016 9:19:07 GMT
I've just looked out in the garden and the pair is out there now. Ours seem to prefer nyger seed... there is a feeder with sunflower hearts in it less than about ten feet from where they are now, but I've never seen them use it. It's funny how they have preferences. Not a great photo, but they are at the far end of the garden.   Goldfinch Pair July 2016 by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr |
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Post by ayjay on Jul 11, 2016 9:31:55 GMT
You need a longer lens!   |
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Post by aeshna5 on Jul 11, 2016 16:10:35 GMT
Goldfinches appear to be the big success story in small birds over the last few years. For two years at least they have been the top bird in the Garden Birdwatch and they are the most common bird in the garden at just about any time of the day. They also seem to be moving north. In the part of NW Scotland I know best (Gairloch) there were very few until a few years ago (it was unusual to see more than one at time). There are not large numbers now but there are sufficeint for them to have bred this year. Does anyone have any idea why there has been this increase? Is it just, as Bryan has suggested, they are becoming more urbanised and have found an easy source of food? Dave In our garden the goldfinches will eat niger seed but it is the sunflower hearts they really like. I think the increase is generally down to the volume of suitable food provided for them in gardens- especially sunflower hearts, the firm favourite, followed by nyger. |
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Post by accipiter on Jul 11, 2016 16:34:25 GMT
Goldfinches appear to be the big success story in small birds over the last few years. For two years at least they have been the top bird in the Garden Birdwatch and they are the most common bird in the garden at just about any time of the day. They also seem to be moving north. In the part of NW Scotland I know best (Gairloch) there were very few until a few years ago (it was unusual to see more than one at time). There are not large numbers now but there are sufficeint for them to have bred this year. Does anyone have any idea why there has been this increase? Is it just, as Bryan has suggested, they are becoming more urbanised and have found an easy source of food? Dave In our garden the goldfinches will eat niger seed but it is the sunflower hearts they really like. I think the increase is generally down to the volume of suitable food provided for them in gardens- especially sunflower hearts, the firm favourite, followed by nyger. Completely agree with aeshna plus modern farming techniques have also not helped one little bit. So yes it is food and suitable shelter driven plus nesting places, and of course this is the main reason why the Sparrowhawk in particular has followed the food trail into our gardens. |
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Post by rowanberry on Jul 11, 2016 21:03:27 GMT
That is a great photo, Ayjay! ...and yes, you are probably right. I suppose it's like the jay, isn't it? Years ago they were a rarity in gardens, but now on a good day (when they bring the young ones) I've had as many as four, which wouldn't have been the norm in a London garden a decade ago. |
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