The garden birds were late coming to our feeders this autumn, no doubt because of the mild weather and abundant food in the countryside. It was not until we had two cold nights in November that most of the usual garden birds returned in any great numbers. This included the first redwings on 14 November. They stayed for three days while they stripped the holly trees of their berries and only one was been seen on 21 December.
The greenfinch used to be the commonest bird in our garden in Weybridge, dominating the feeders in small flocks. This year we have recorded a single bird on two occasions, 15 November and 19 December. The virus affecting them has certainly taken its toll. A pair of dunnocks has for years been seen on almost every day but this year only a single bird was recorded on 17 November and none since.
A single male siskin was seen on 18 December and again on 10 January. The real influx of siskins came with the colder weather on 26 January and every day we now we have a dozen at a time on niger, sunflower hearts and peanuts. A single goldfinch has now found the niger seed and is seen most days.
On the plus side we have had more visits from song thrush, starlings and great spotted woodpeckers. Nuthatches too are common and a pair was recorded together on the same feeder on 27 December.
Chris Brading