Monday 8 November 2010

Where have my Siskins gone?


A quiet day today.  I refilled all my feeders and spent a few minutes watching what was coming to feed.  Really good numbers of Blue Tits accompanied by plenty of Great and Coal Tits.  Also Marsh and Willow Tit still coming with Nuthatches, Chaffinches and a single Greenfinch.

The most noticeable absence from recent years is absolutely no Siskins.  A spanking new feeder full to the brim with niger seed is still untouched after almost a month.  I have heard a few Siskins go over but amazingly none have come to feed.  Has there been a disastrous breeding season?  Is there an abundance of natural food?  Where are they?

We have been privileged to get a minimum of 20 birds at a time feeding throughout the winter and often local breeders bringing their young to the feeders in late summer.

I do hope this is only a blip because these attractive birds have brought us so much pleasure and indeed our house sign includes a male Siskin on a rowan tree.

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