Goldfinch.

[snooky]

We have a Goldfinch visiting the garden and stripping sprigs from the Thyme plants.I guess that it is nesting nearby and wants it to smell nice!!!

[Primrose]

Ah pretty birds! Make it easy for them Snooky and cut a few snippets off the plants to save them work!

[retropants]

Ah yes, I had some tweetling about in the gum tree yesterday morning. It seems they like fragrant foliage!

[Kayburton]

How cute! As far as I know, birds have a poor sense of smell. Rather, the bird instinctively collects those herbs that may be beneficial to her. I am not an ornithologist, I cannot say exactly what and why.

[Westi]

Kayburton, interesting you say that as I think I saw some TV show on this instinctive nature to go for smell. (Or look)!
It was about birds nests - & many birds collect smelly foliage to keep the nest free from mites & the like. It was years ago & probably getting into day zone after a run of night shifts as used to pick out the most boring & unexciting to move the bed time earlier.

[vivienz]

We had sparrow terraces at our old house (3 wide boxes, each subdivided into 3 individual compartments) and when hubby cleaned them out each year, he often found sprigs of lavender and bay leaves in them. Ahhhh!

[Primrose]

Interesting about smells and birds. We have an unused bird box on a rather bare west facing fence which has never been used, perhaps because it,s too exposed although blue tits usually investigated it every year. I wonder if I put a few sprigs from our rosemary bush in it some bird might be tempted?

[Primrose]

Interesting about smells and birds. We have an unused bird box on a rather bare west facing fence which has never been used, perhaps because it,s too exposed although blue tits usually investigated it every year. I wonder if I put a few sprigs from our rosemary bush in it some bird might be tempted?

[Westi]

Worth a try I would say Primrose & maybe some artificial cover in around for them sneak out for food for the hatchlings if it is a bit exposed. Or give them the full des res & plant some rosemary under the fence as well so they have some cover & tips to take you have a lovely row of colour on along the fence.

[Terryms]

OMG goldfinch is a wonderful bird! Hope this herb was useful for him

[snooky]

We have a wooden windchime in the shape of a Dragon(Idris,of course!)hanging from the low roof overhang and for some reason this year's brood of Goldfinches have taken a shine to it.They play in,on and around in a game of chase before going onto the roof to forage for bugs and grubs in the moss on the tiles.Fascinating.

[Terryms]

We have a wooden windchime in the shape of a Dragon(Idris,of course!)hanging from the low roof overhang and for some reason this year's brood of Goldfinches have taken a shine to it.They play in,on and around in a game of chase before going onto the roof to forage for bugs and grubs in the moss on the tiles.Fascinating.

It seems to be very nice!