A grey, overcast sky lay heavy over the farm, threatening yet more rain that had deluged the country over the last week or so. The wind had a cold, damp chill to it… it felt like February; it is in fact the end of April.
 |
| Adult male siskin |
 |
| Adult female siskin |
 |
| Juvenile Siskin |
As the grey dawn broke, the sound of hundreds of finches called from the tops of trees, waiting to pile into the feeders. Even before the last net was set we had already caught thirty of so birds and as the morning progressed the birds kept coming. The only species missing were the bramblings having perhaps finally had enough of the damp, English winter and spring! Finally the rain came, pattering on the polytunnel and splashing in the pond. Still the birds came, but with the rain not easing we closed the nets.
The final total… 252 birds including 130 new birds, predominantly made up of siskins, greenfinches and lesser redpolls. Both siskin and greenfinch adults showed clear signs of breeding and there were recently fledged siskins darting around as proof. The lesser redpolls on the other hand…just fuelling up for the long trip north…
Wild Barley 