With heavy wet snow overnight weighing down all the plants in the garden together with plummeting air temperature, a flock of goldfinches (stillits) (collectively known as a Charm) were at the bird feeder this morning. I guess it’s more difficult for goldfinches to get at their preferred food, burdock seed (Arctium spp.) in these conditions. With … Continue reading A Charm of Goldfinches
I’ve written a series of articles in 3 parts “Fuglevennlige planter i hagen” (Bird friendly plants in the garden) for the magazine of our national bird society (NOF, now Birdlife Norge) called Vår Fuglefauna (Our Bird Fauna). The first part (6 pages) has already been published (the first two pages are shown below; deliberately blurred … Continue reading Burdock for goldfinches
At last, a flock of 5 goldfinches were on my balcony feeding on burdock (borre) that I planted there two years ago in a large pot with the purpose of attracting them closer!
Two goldfinches were on the bird feeder today. So far this winter I’d only seen on natural food – burdock (Arctium seeds).
I grow burdock (borre) in the garden both as a vegetable but also for the birds. Goldfinches / stillits (still relatively rare in my area) eat almost exclusively the seeds of this plant in winter. This year I cut down a few of the plants and placed them in a large pot of earth right … Continue reading Goldfinches and Burdock
They’ve been absent for some time apart from a single bird occasionally. A flock of 6 birds were in the garden most of yesterday: 1) …with Yellowhammers (gulspurv), tree sparrows (pilfink) and house sparrow (gråspurv) 2) ……with greenfinch and yellowhammers (grønnfink og gulspurv) 3) …with a nuthatch doing neck exercises (taken from a film)
A lonely thirsty goldfinch (stillits) in the garden this morning :)
Sitting at my desk this morning I noticed the winter’s first goldfinch (stillits) sitting having a scratch in a tree in the garden (first video)….and the rest of the flock of more than 10 birds were feeding on burdock (borre) in the garden. The first ever large flocks of goldfinches started overwintering in my area … Continue reading The return of the Goldfinches
About 10 goldfinches (stillits) in the garden again today, both under the bird feeder, on burdock and chicory seed heads! Chicory (sikkori) is another great vegetable to let go to seed, save seed for next year and leave some for the birds!
A small number of goldfinches spend their winter holiday in the lowlands around Trondheimsfjord, a very good choice I would say! I’ve never seen them in summer here . I heard the characteristic twittering flight call this morning for the first time this winter and then saw 4 of them this afternoon on burdock (borre) … Continue reading Goldfinches back on their winter holiday