Monday 14 March 2016

Monday.


a small mystery has just solved itself, as mysteries tend to do, if we have patience and a good memory.  On 16th and 18th February, this year, I was puzzled by a bird that I eventually decided must be a siskin (unusual in that they tend to travel in small groups). Just after lunch today the same bird turned up, this time with her boyfriend in tow,  I was able to take a couple of snapshots of them (above and below), and they were revealed to be a young female and a male siskin, beautiful birds both of them, and obliging enough to sit still while I photographed them.


A few minutes later a goldfinch took over the feeding place, and he too allowed me to take his photo, shown below. Very satisfying, and proving once again the truth of one of my favourite old sayings, that everything comes to he who waits.


8 comments:

Rog said...

I've never heard of a Siskin - this blog is a mine of information.
I think there's one case where your favourite old saying doesn't hold good and that's for waiters.

Crowbard said...

It certainly does Mike, especially if you're using the right bait.

Unknown said...

Good one, Rog, and I'm sure it's true.

Unknown said...

Hello Crowbard. I always think that should be the collectors' motto - Everything comes to he who waits.

Pat said...

I've been waiting quite long now. You must have a way with birds.

Unknown said...

Hello Pat. Good to hear from you. I'm sure you've got as many birds in your beautiful area as we have here. Bribe them. I've just had a word with Ann and she says that she originally tempted the goldfinches into our garden by using niger seeds in the bird feeder. Once they'd stayed to breed we've never been without them. I'd never seen siskins until they turned up four or five years ago, also on one of the bird feeders. They now turn up every spring, and stay a few days, although we do have a stand of conifers across the school playing fields at the bottom of our garden, which also seems to attract them. Keep trying!

Nea said...

Beautiful photos.
Reminds me of Raphael's painting Madonna of the Goldfinch.

Nea said...

Beautiful photos.
Reminds me of Raphael's painting Madonna of the Goldfinch.