I have recently returned from a break in a lovely cottage on farmland in North Yorkshire. The early morning sounds and the view from the bedroom window were spectacular, none more so than the tall hedgerow about 12-feet away from the window. Many bird species were darting in and out of the hedge, but the … Read more
Chaffinches are in abundance in the UK I am led to believe, but they seem to be one of the least frequent visitors to my garden. They are fairly shy and prefer to hide amongst the branches of shrubs and trees, particularly conifers if you have them. They might be small but have loud voices, … Read more
I am fascinated to learn about which birds are sedentary and which choose to fly to a sunnier climate in search of warmth during our cold winters. It is a truly amazing feat that tiny birds can navigate their way hundreds or thousands of miles, and even more so, that they find their way back … Read more
There are more than 6.2 million chaffinches in the UK and a further 2 million in Ireland. They are beautifully marked little birds, around the size of a sparrow, that can often be seen in our gardens foraging for food beneath feeders and hedgerows. When I learned of just how common the birds are, it … Read more
Like me, you must watch the birds at your feeding tables and notice some species are much more prolific visitors than others are. I’m sure that none of us would be surprised to know that sparrows, starlings and wood pigeons all top the bird census’ year upon year, but have you ever thought that you … Read more
The male chaffinch with his resplendent colouring and melodious song would be a most welcome guest at any garden feeding table yet they are often conspicuous by their absence. I spent many happy hours watching the to-ing and fro-ing from my bird tables and often wondered why chaffinches were not a common feature, just an … Read more
Sat in my garden watching the many varieties of bird that visit my numerous feeding stations pondering if they are particularly selective about their diets or if all birds eat all bird seed? The chaffinch is probably my favourite songbird, not just because of his tuneful song but because of the beautiful bright colouring of … Read more