I love watching all the finches and have been very lucky this year. Have had the pleasure of a regular visit from up to 11 Goldfinches which have now started bringing thier young to the feeder with upto 5 juv at any one time. Also have upto 5 greenfinches but today had 2 adult and 2 juv Greenfinches A male Bulfinch visits daily but not seen a female since April. 4 to 7 Chaffinch visit most days They seem to prefer the Sunflower hearts and niger seed. We all have our favourites and i find the feral pigeons entertaining as they have become masters of feeding on the feeders which can be entertaining watching them holding on with one foot and stretching to feed on the higher hole in the feeder flapping thier wings to keep balance.

Just Chaffinches and Goldfinches for me here in Wigan.

I've had Greenfinches and Siskins in the past but not for several years now.

We've lived here since 1988 and I've only had Bullfinches in the garden twice in all that time.

our resident bullfinch pair are always on an apple tree, eating buds at the moment.

We have several bullfinches in my Stockport garden. They love the sunflower hearts.

It might be worth planting a couple of fruit trees if you want to attract Bullfinches in particular (Damson and Sloe are favourites from my observations). They go bonkers in the spring for fruit blossom which is what brought them to my garden originally. From there they noticed the nyjer seed (which I just put in a regular seed feeder with largish holes so they can get their chunky bills at it the seed itself) and haven't looked back since! After being incredibly excited eight years ago to get my first sighting in the garden, it now gets regular visit from 4 birds at any one time throughout summer and then winter maximums of 10+ birds at times. Wonderful things, both in plumage and sound.
Thanks. Henry.


-- Edited by Henry Cook on Wednesday 15th of June 2011 04:53:12 PM

well rayE maybe one day i will have the pleasure of bullfinch,having only had a quick visit ,however i have spent a wonderful afternoon supposedly cleaning my kitchen ,with camera in one hand binns in other,watching the sparrows and blue tits feeding their young, i have noticed the goldfinches always come together sometimes only one feeds but the other is always there sat in my trees,could they possibly be a breeding pair ?they usually share my niger seed feeder,but ive also got sunflower hearts in other so they swop n change ,however i digress ,my question is if they had young surely they wouldn't spend as much time away,or feed young seeds so do they stay with same partner for a while because these two are inseparable. Hope someone can help with answer and yes definitely same two i got plenty pics.

I totally agree with Raye, I would love to have goldfinches on my feeder but they never come although there are lots about.
Any bird can be special to anyone at any time.
Keep on twitching!!

Your wrong Ian. If they are special to you then they are special. Remember seeing my first Goldfinch, couldn't believe it now they are my commonest. Over 15yrs I had one Bullfinch, now I have a 'resident' pair. Everytime they come my camera comes out. It starts of with a bag of cheap inferior seed then the downward spiral begins. Enjoy your special birds.

well your doing better than me. I have only recently come back to birding and i'm shocked at the total drop in the number of "common" finches and other birds that appear to have disappeared. My bird feeder has been up for 6 to 7 months and it is only in the last month that the seeds have been getting eaten. Up until this point I was having to throw seeds away do to none consumption.
Only starlings, tree and house sparrows and a few greedy wood pigeons appear to be interested.

Ian

im new to site,but have enjoyed birdwatching for years,most people around this area dont really care about our feathered friends ,and most people on this site will probably just roll their eyes ,but i just want to share my excitement and joy at having goldfinches and greenfinches regularly feeding . i know they nothing special but they are to me, alongside the jays tits,etc that visit they are my v i ps i know that's sad,but i feel privaledge that they visit my garden they brighten up my day and it always a pair. I hope maybe oneday m the goldfinches will bring their young.