Goldfinches have us all of a flutter
JENNI MURRAY is concerned that a pair of goldfinches and a robin are not visiting her bird table as usual and blames climate change (Femail). For years, we spent the winters in southern Spain. When we returned home in the summer and put out the bird feeders, all we attracted were magpies, pigeons and squirrels, so we gave up. This year, we sold our home abroad and I was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. I have been shielding since March and my greatest pleasure has been watching the birds in the garden. My husband wanted to attract goldfinches, so bought a feeder designed for them. Nothing happened for a few days, but then a pair of goldfinches arrived. However, they ignored the special feeder and shared the seeds with the other birds. They arrive at the same time every day and it’s been fascinating watching their antics. We were thrilled when they started to bring their fledglings. One evening, feeding on two hanging feeders, we counted eight goldfinches, two woodpeckers and numerous nuthatches, blue tits and great tits. Then a green parakeet arrived! It was amazing to see them fluttering around. Even at this time of year, birds are plentiful in our garden. So, Jenni, don’t give up hope. Just put out some sunflower seed hearts and I am sure the birds will return to your garden.
GEORGINA STEWART, Woking, Surrey.
IT’S a shame Jenni Murray doesn’t have any birds visiting her garden.
Perhaps she’ll consider a move to Cornwall. The two seed feeders in my small garden are visited several times a day by all kinds of finches and tits, blackcaps, a pair of dunnocks, blackbirds and robins. We have also been adopted by Peg the pigeon, who arrived in August limping badly with a deformed foot. We thought she wouldn’t survive, but she keeps coming back for the seeds we put out for her. She has become quite tame over time
and we’re hoping that she gets through the winter.
JEAN COMBEN, Truro, Cornwall.
MY GARDEN is inundated with birds of all kinds that rear two broods annually. We make sure we put out food for them all through the year, not just in winter. Our two cats and a dog do not deter the birds, even though the felines watch them keenly.
L. GADSBY, Truro, Cornwall.
I DON’T want to rub it in, Jenni, but I have 15 goldfinches feeding in my garden. BOB PERRING, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire.
LIKE Jenni, I have sadly noticed a significant drop in bird numbers — except for destructive magpies. Could these be the source of the problem?
ANDREA MELLINGS, Worcester.
LIKE Jenni Murray, I have a birdbath, bird table and hanging feeder. Until October, I was visited several times a day by a flock of sparrows and pair of goldfinches. Where have they gone?
JUNE LUCAS, Greenford, Gtr London.
DO BIRDS tweet each other when householders leave out food for them (Letters)? When I scatter bread, the seagulls sit on the roof watching me and are often pecking at it before I’ve gone back into the house. However, if there is only one gull, he ignores the food and squawks for his friends to turn up, which they soon do. He then tries to fight off the other gulls. Talk about bird-brained!
Ms DEE MUTTER, Hastings, E. Sussex.