The Christmas holiday period represents a great chance to catch up with the birds in the garden: We usually stock up on garden bird supplies to cover us into the New Year. Despite the often foul weather, the flow of birds to the feeders is fairly constant and gives pleasure and delight to armchair bird watching.
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| Star Quality: the first visitors to the Nyjer feeder (c. OOS) |
I haven't used a Nyjer feeder in the garden for a year or two now: not that I don't want to attract a few exotic looking finch species: I think our last Nyjer feeder took off in a storm: I have a garden shed with quite a few retired feeders hanging motionless from a hook: all missing parts and testament to our windy site.
Being Christmas I thought a present to self was in order, to benefit the birds of course. A heavy duty, quick release,Ring Pull Nyjer feeder from the Jacobi Jayne range looked perfect for our situation. The fine, oily Nyjer Seed was purchased, adding to the peanuts ( minimum of 5kg back up needed to keep the Woodpeckers on board), Fat balls and a supply of Sunflower seeds for the squadron of Coal Tits.
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| (c.OOS) |
The return on the investment has been fantastic: Goldfinches were attracted to the new feeder within 2 days, and numbers built up nicely to at least 11 birds, from an initial pair. It is fascinating to watch them queue for the four port feeder: unruly and chattering, often tangling in mid air, flashing the band of gold across the wings before returning to the feeder. This sharing of information amongst their number benefits the flock but brings competition and displays of territoriality and aggression.
The species list for the garden rises to 27 since early December, with Siskin just added and still some 'easy ones' to come: no Jackdaw, Starling or House Sparrow yet, though the latter two are breeders here.
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| Sharing with the Greenfinches (c.OOS) |
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