A group of seeding nettles strategically placed in view of a living room window provides a little entertainment in winter ( no, I didn’t plant them, but I deliberately didn’t cut them back). This is important food for various finches in winter including bullfinches (dompap).
Tag Archives: dompap
Bramblings and nettles
There are many bramblings (bjørkefink) in the garden at the moment and yesterday I noticed them eating nettle seed for the first time! I’ve previously recorded bullfinches (dompap) on nettles. So, yet another of many reasons to have a large patch of nettles in the garden in view of the house: others include nutritious food for us, nettle water fertiliser, fibre, food for butterfly larvae…
This gives me an idea! Next year I’ll gather nettle seed outside the garden and put it on the bird feeder. Try to reduce the huge amounts of bird seed that are bought every year by providing as much natural food as possible! Bird seed is produced in large monocultures (mostly non-organically). I wonder how many birds are displaced or killed in the process?
This gives me an idea! Next year I’ll gather nettle seed outside the garden and put it on the bird feeder. Try to reduce the huge amounts of bird seed that are bought every year by providing as much natural food as possible! Bird seed is produced in large monocultures (mostly non-organically). I wonder how many birds are displaced or killed in the process?
Bulfinch visit at Apple blossom time
Bullfinches (dompap in Norwegian) have an unique biannual appearance in the garden. They feed from autumn to early spring on natural food and on the bird feeder. Of the natural foods, I’ve seen them feeding on nettle (nesle) seeds, maple seeds (sycamore and Norway maple / platanlønn og spisslønn) as well as buds of plums. They then disappear in March, but return again every year about the time when the apple trees are coming into flower. I presume they are interested in the ripening buds, but have never seen them eating them. A pair appeared again in the garden two days ago and here are a couple of short films. In the second, you can even here a snatch of bullfinch song. I’ve never heard that in May before, but they do sing weakly in late winter sometimes.
There could hardly be more blossom on the apples this year! Looks like yet another good year.
There could hardly be more blossom on the apples this year! Looks like yet another good year.
Snow at dawn
A fresh white view this morning and a beautiful dawn after a good snowfall yesterday..
View with drumming great spotted woodpecker (flagspett)
Bullfinches in the garden
Bullfinches (dompap) again feeding on maple seeds, here right outside the kitchen window!
Bullfinches on cherry buds
Early this morning and the bullfinches were grazing on cherry buds…and as I zoomed in I noticed a goldfinch sitting with them!
Birds in the garden 6th January 2018
1. Fieldfare (gråtrost) on apple in snow #1
2. Fieldfare (gråtrost) on apple in snow #2
3. European robin in snow
4. I’ve never seen European robin actually on the bird feeder, normally picking up crumbs below! (Female bullfinch / dompap takes over at the end)
More birds in the garden; 5th January 2018
1. Blackbird (svarttrost) and great spotted woodpecker (flaggspett)
2. Bullfinches (male and female; dompap) on plum buds (not too happy with this), there were 8 birds altogether….hopefully they won’t do too much damage… :(
3. Fieldfare (gråtrost) on apple
Bullfinches on Norwegian maple seed
A bullfinch (dompap) pair feeding on Norwegian maple (spisslønn) seed! I’ve seen them before in the tree taking the seeds, but not on the ground before!
Bullfinches in the garden
