Kitchen Garden Forum

A beautiful little bird I have never seen till this year. We had a pair a while since and now we have lots of young ones. What a pleasant surprise.

Until about 20 years ago, siskins just visited England (I am not sure about Wales, Alan!) in winter from their breeding grounds in Scotland. They then started nesting in northern england, including a few miles from here, on the Bolton Abbey estate and for the last two or three years we have actually had nests in conifers in the village! We found they are quite bold and will stay clinging to the feeders, especially with sunflower hearts or nyjer seeds, until one can almost touch them.

Do enjoy them, Alan!

Wish we had siskins!

Hi Monika

They are remarkably tame and exceptionally greedy!

When we first moved to this house we saw them regularly and then they virtually disappeared. A couple of years ago we had a ringed one which visited our garden in frosty weather and he was so tame that we wondered whether he'd come from an aviary somewhere as he would almost feed from our hands.. Then one snowy night he disappeared and sadly we never saw him again.
At our previous house, at the edge of a small river, there were lots of alder trees which they loved, and they were regular visitors.

Beautiful aren't they

We had a pair here for a few days the winter before last, but not seen any since

We get large numbers of them in winter, but only one pair stay around in summer. I've not seen them with any young though.

Today's 'star' bird was a nuthatch. The winter before last we had a pair coming to the feeders regularly, and then they brought their baby last summer to show it where the food was. That was the last time I've seen one until today. I'm really pleased they are still around as I'd begun to think the bad winter had killed them off.