Tuesday 9 June 2009

Out of season, but very welcome.

I was surprised to find this Siskin feeding in the Garden today. I first heard it singing and I admit that I was puzzled as to what I was hearing. At first I thought that it was an odd song of one of the Goldfinches that visit the garden. It was only when I say it on the feeder that I realised that it was this bird that had been singing.

Although, in the past, a few pairs have bred at places like Bedgebury Pinetum I normally see then either in the Autumn, in September or October or in Spring, normally in April, but occasionally early May. It is difficult to know if this is just a late migrant or one that has stayed around. I don't think that it is likely to be breeding near by.

While I was watching the Siskin I noticed a young Great Spotted Woodpecker on a small feeder at the bottom of the garden. A while ago I bought a sack of millet seed, and as far as most birds were concerned this was a mistake. I put a feeder down the garden and occasionally the odd Chaffinch has visited it, but only rarely. Great Spots almost invariably go for the peanuts, although once or twice I've seem them on sunflower seeds. This is the first time that I've seen one on the millet feeder. Being a young bird I suspect it was just experimenting.

1 comment:

Warren Baker said...

Interesting about the siskin Tony. I had a Young on eat the feeders once, in may.