My Scunthorpe Garden 2024

Feb 22nd: Siskin - 7  (4m 3f)  13 species in total.
Feb 23rd:  Siskin  - 7  ( 4m 3f) on five different sfh feeders at one time.
Feb 24th:  Siskin  - 8  (  4m 4f  )  for first time I saw a female go on nut feeder. 11 species in total.

Today the Siskin have been here every day for two weeks. I did say early on could this be a "Brambling Stay" if so they need to stay another eight weeks.  Before the Siskin arrived I normally filled the SFH feeders twice a week, now its every day, as the Goldfinch number is increasing, also today had a Chaffinch with both legs covered in white disease, also had two Greenfinch, some of the front garden Spuggies come round back having SFH and FB's so filled all feeders in front garden. 

Had an hour at BB having a catch up with AH & CH this morning, my heart wasn't in birding due to health but talked birds etc.

Toodle loo

John aka Max  

This morning had 6 male and three female Siskins on three seed feeders! 

John

The sunflower hearts are good quality and very well packed , in fact double packed, the strong paper sack is in a white synthetic sack as well, have taken a pic.  On the intro and sack it said Bakery Quality seeds, so I assume they must be used in baking etc.  I asked delivery driver if he would put in kitchen which he did. A well known delivery company usually leave a 20kg bag on front door step and leave, and I then struggle to get it inside!! So first class service by DX Express Transport and driver Steve.

Regards
John

On our N. Somercotes garden feeders we've had Goldfinch (the record was 11) Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin, Dunnock, with a ground crew of Woodpigion, Blackbird and Chaffinch. Also two nuisance grey squirrels. Like John, still only the one House Sparrow and only 3 Greenfinch. Garden total for this year is 37 so far. 

Regards Pete

At 09:25 today spotted some some wee birds in one of the hawthorn trees, got bins and couldn't believe it six Siskins (5m 1f) got camera and managed to get five in shot but overcast and poor for pics but I blew pic up and can clearly see them! 

Good job have got 20 kg of sunflower hearts coming today, usually buy from Maltby's of Hull but these are from a new supplier called C&C corn suppliers they had special offer on for £23 whereas Maltby's was 10kg for £18. 

In previous years when Siskins have come they preferred Niger seed but the feeder is broken awaiting mending, so only the sfh here. The Siskins are fiesty little sods fighting off the Goldfinch and Greenfinch for best place on feeders, they only use two of the five up no idea why, whereas the other finches use all of them.

From a very happy Scunny garden  

PS: Stuart what you say about the Siskins I saw at 9.25 possibly not the ones that come every day, I think your right, at 12.15 spotted a single male and female on feeders so I would have thought that if they were part of the six earlier all of them would have come to feed, so it's possible the six are separate to the ones that visit, so could be have seen eight, but six is more than enough to keep me happy.

Never seen a siskin on my feeders adjacent to Theddlethorpe dunes, (even though they regularly fly over) John
guess my wildbird food doesn,t include the correct seed, as another garden feeder 1 km away has them.
I do see lots of blue great and long tail tits , blackbirds, dunnocks robins, chaffinch , wood pigeon great spot woodpecker 
but no sparrows or greenfinch.

John