Surprise Siskin visitors to the garden
I have recently changed some of the bird feed I have been putting out and filled several of the hanging feeders with sunflower hearts.
Its been good to see a Goldfinch making an appearance in the garden throughout the winter but I haven't seen any other species of finch this year apart from a fleeting female Bullfinch.
Last Saturday I looked out the garden and saw something different - it was a yellowy green and smaller than a sparrow.
Looking closer through my lens I was surprised to see that a male Siskin was perched in my Acer Tree.
Since then I have had a pair of them, a male and female coming regularly all week throughout the day.
They adore the sunflower hearts and eat them exclusively.
Siskins (Cardeuelis spinus) tend to prefer mixed coniferous habitats where they feed on conifer, birch and alder trees. In the winter they will take advantage of garden feeders when natural food sources are low.
Have you ever wondered like me where the Siskin name comes from?
Well, I have great book named :Lapwings,Loons and Lousy Jacks (by Ray Reedman) which explores the origins of bird names.
He states that the name was first seen recorded in 1544 and believed to be of a German "Slavonic" origin and associated with the caged bird trade.
The Siskins have a distinctive call and throughout their visits are constantly calling to each other. They are quite timid and scared of bigger birds like House Sparrows and Starlings. Goldfinches however are tolerated and I have seen both species happily eating from the feeders together.
Its been good to see a Goldfinch making an appearance in the garden throughout the winter but I haven't seen any other species of finch this year apart from a fleeting female Bullfinch.
Last Saturday I looked out the garden and saw something different - it was a yellowy green and smaller than a sparrow.
Looking closer through my lens I was surprised to see that a male Siskin was perched in my Acer Tree.
Since then I have had a pair of them, a male and female coming regularly all week throughout the day.
They adore the sunflower hearts and eat them exclusively.
Siskins (Cardeuelis spinus) tend to prefer mixed coniferous habitats where they feed on conifer, birch and alder trees. In the winter they will take advantage of garden feeders when natural food sources are low.
Have you ever wondered like me where the Siskin name comes from?
Well, I have great book named :Lapwings,Loons and Lousy Jacks (by Ray Reedman) which explores the origins of bird names.
He states that the name was first seen recorded in 1544 and believed to be of a German "Slavonic" origin and associated with the caged bird trade.
The Siskins have a distinctive call and throughout their visits are constantly calling to each other. They are quite timid and scared of bigger birds like House Sparrows and Starlings. Goldfinches however are tolerated and I have seen both species happily eating from the feeders together.
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