Saturday 26 January 2013

Snow, Goldfinches and Siskins

I decided to join in the RSPBs Big Garden Birdwatch this morning, and saw a lot more birds in an hour than I saw last year. I think it helps that we have snow on the ground and fully stocked bird feeders! After a few minutes  5 Siskins flew in. This is the first time I have seen Siskins in our garden, although I think they may well have been visiting for a little while as the Niger seed feeders have been emptied regularly, and the Goldfinches don't manage that on their own! Anyway, instead of me talking about them here are some photos.

This is a male Siskin, and the following blurred effort is a female.
 Here are a few of Goldfinches too, again not great photos but good enough to identify them!


As for snow, it is melting fast, but this morning it was about 5 1/2 inches deep...
I used my crafting ruler to measure the snow on my patio table! Hope you are managing to stay warm and you are enjoying your weekend. Sorry I haven't been around blog land quite so much this week. Again, work has had to take priority I'm afraid. Hopefully I'll be back in the next few days with a card and to visit you. thanks for looking!

12 comments:

Craftnut said...

Ive not got a garden but do love watching the birds at my mums, the goldfinches certainly like niger seed. Ive got some feeders by my window - the most exotic i have got it my rag tag blue tit :o), happy weekend Tracy x

Unknown said...

Bbbbbrrrrr tis a bit chilly but the lovely sight of birds is keeping my mum from going mad! Like you she has seen more birds this last week and loves to watch them feed - she even had one come and chip at her and when she looked the feeder was empty - she thinks he was asking her to fill it! Lovely seeing your garden pics so thanks for sharing xx Keep warm xx

Paula (PEP) said...

We had a woodpecker (Greater Spotted I think from the quick glimpse) & a pair of Redwings as well as the normal blackbirds etc...... I've put out some food but can't use feeders as the squirrels & mice come too close to the house for comfort. I've never seen a Siskin though we get the odd Goldfinch now & then.
I always love seeing your bird posts - I've not lost my childhood interest but am not a twitcher.
Paula (PEP)

Lynne K said...

We've had some siskins, but haven't seen the goldfinches this winter. Last year we had a pair visiting regularly. We've had lots of long tailed tits, though, plus blue, great & coal tits, great spotted woodpecker, fieldfares, redwings, chaffinches, tree sparrows, dunnocks, several robins, and this morning hundreds of geese flew over. We also have a cock pheasant and another one which doesn't seem to know which sex it is! It has mainly the markings of a hen pheasant but with a coloured band around its neck. Our local nature reserve ranger says that sometimes they can change sex and he thinks ours must be in the process of doing so. Lovely to see your photos. I think you've got more snow than we have!

lisa said...

I had thought to count the birds but we went out for the day so didn't get round to it. You've got some beautiful ones there, Sally. I don't think I've seen Siskins. We get a lot of great and blue tits and blackbirds and of course the robin. Trouble is with 2 cats they are only around when the cats are indoors, which with the snow is permanently so the birds manage to get to the feeders!!
Hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend. I think the snow will be gone by tomorrow looking at the forecast.
hugs Liasx

Tracy said...

Lovely photos Sally, my hubby has taken part too. We get all kinds of birds but my favourites have always been the robins. Although the colours of the Goldfinch is wonderful.
Happy crafting
Tracy x

sallysbitz2 said...

Awww, thanks for sharing your pics.

My Mum said yesterday (Saturday), that she was going to take part in the same event today.

It's surprising how many types of birds visit your garden.

I have had birds as pets (love birds), and I can tell you, I prefer them in the wild than in a cage. Me & hubby never argued so much because of them, lol. When we talk about them now we have to laugh about it.

As for the SNOW.... go away now!!!

Look forward to seeing a card from you soon. I know what it's like when you have been to work, you are way too tired to craft even though you want to.

Enjoy the rest of your day & share more pics of any birds that visit your garden x

hugs sally x
sallysbitz.blogspot.co.uk

Paula Whittaker said...

Loving the birdy photo's - Ive just posted some pics of a Fieldfare that came into our garden last week.

MagsB said...

What beautiful photos! Siskins! Goldfinches! What a treat, they are lovely little birds.

Have a good week!

love Mags B x

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

For the last couple of weeks, we have had so many birds coming in to our feeders. As soon as the Birdwatch day arrived, they all vanished, and we had less than half the number coming in. It could have something to do with the fact that all our snow had melted by then. Love your photos. Thank you for visiting me this week. xx Maggie

Carola Bartz said...

Sally, I love your bird photos! I'm a bird watcher myself, so I'm always happy when I see other people just as crazy as me... Love the goldfinch - they look quite different from our goldfinches (ours look more like your siskins).

Cath Wilson said...

Ooh, lucky you! I occasionally see a pair of siskins here and they come back for a few days, but must just be passing through because they don't come back after that. Their song is so pretty x