An invasion of Siskins

I have learned today that Siskin numbers are up in my area, North Scotland.

Also the 11 Cranes are still around the old airfield of Milltown near Lossiemouth, I believe these have also travelled from Scandanavia, they havebeen feeding in the area for the last 4 weeks.

Last year there were Cranes breeding at the Lakenheath reserve, this only opened last May, for anyone in this area I can highly recommend it, if only for the fact that I believe Moggy has visited it.
It also is one of the few breeding sites in the UK for Golden Orioles, I’ve only ever seen them in Hungary and they really are stunning birds.
It must be the only reserve where you can see rare species, do a bit of train spotting and have to put your fingers in your ears when the F-15’s come over in full reheat, I’m looking forward to a day out there when all the migrants arrive, I reckon early May could be a good time for a good all round day out, and it’s free, well, donation only, the visitor centre and bogs are very tasteful and the warden is a right keen type, in a very pleasant sort of way.
I wonder if the very large local American population have discovered it yet.

Incidentally, our very large influx of Siskins is getting a bit out of hand, they seem to have taken over the feeders entirely, our locals aren’t getting a look in, very strange situation.

I have learned today that Siskin numbers are up in my area, North Scotland.

Also the 11 Cranes are still around the old airfield of Milltown near Lossiemouth, I believe these have also travelled from Scandanavia, they havebeen feeding in the area for the last 4 weeks.

Still havn’t seen any siskins though i tell you what would be sure to work if you want your area protected, its i bit underhand and illegal but here it is, go on a search of ponds, find some great crested newts, bring newts back to area you want to see protected and voila your newly created newt filled area will be protected. I won’t go into more detail for obvious reasons but i KNOW this works.

Interestingly enough, when we were stocking up our pond last year, my keen type youth did a bit of dipping in his Grans local pond and we stuck a load of newts down the bottom of the garden, he insists that one of them was a Great Crested, blimey protected newts and sloworms, they’ll have to fence the area off, serve them right.
Incidentally, no response to my letter of complaint from the Local Council, they’re probably on leave, but our local Braintree and Bocking preservation society are well interested at whats going on.

Still havn’t seen any siskins though i tell you what would be sure to work if you want your area protected, its i bit underhand and illegal but here it is, go on a search of ponds, find some great crested newts, bring newts back to area you want to see protected and voila your newly created newt filled area will be protected. I won’t go into more detail for obvious reasons but i KNOW this works.

Siskins are common winter visitors to the pine forests of North-West England and have been for many years.Macclesfield Forest and the Derwent Valley(of Dam Busters fame) regulary hold large flocks.It is only because these birds are opportunists and have only fairly recently adapted to bird-feeders in back gardens that people are beginning to notice them more often.Pete,I see you live in Essex,so these birds might well be slowly working their way back to Scandinavia via the shortest sea crossing of the English Channel.The males are really cracking little birds,aren’t they?

No, thats not true, quite the reverse in fact, they are arriving here in large numbers because of food shortages in Scandinavia, I gather that arable crops over there had a bad time of it last year.
My concern is what will happen to them, I’ve just glanced up now and there are 7 of them on the bird feeders.
We haven’t got any pine forests for miles, but some of the trees at the bottom of the garden are covered in ivy and this is giving them cover at the moment, you can hear them all cheaping away at dusk.
We live in a very unspoilt habitat, unfortunately the local council and the rich, uneducated gits in the big expensive houses just down from me have cooked up a ridiculous plan to wipe out the natural habitat over the fence and turn it into a pretty wild flower garden, don’t start me off.
I’ve had a good rant about this, as you might expect, not only in the local paper, but I sent the Local Authority a scathing letter yesterday.
Unfortunately, you are dealing with ignorant, but wealthy, influential people who just want to increase the value of their property, try and approach them to talk about what they are doing and they treat you with contempt.
The council officer in charge of this great development is an arboroligist, ie, she can’t tell a Siskin from a Buzzard. We have had sightings off Otters down here, but it don’t make any difference, lets wipe everything out in the interests of symetry and perfection.
We have so many species listed as category red and orange by the RSPB, but, again, it don’t make any difference, no one cares or wants to know.
Please explain to me how a local authority can allow a group of local residents and their kids, carte blanche to spend a weekend hacking away at trees and undergrowth in a public area, of known wildlife importance, without proffesional supervision, smacks of backhanders doesn’t it, especially when they have been allowed to leave their rubbish lying about without any complaints or comebacks.
My one trump card is that we have sloworms down here, the presence of those has stopped bye-pass building in the past, mind you, they have been told of this but carry on regardless.
I have even offered my services as a wildlife consultant for nowt, the council obviously haven’t got one.
Well, we will have to see what happens before it’s too late, but quite frankly, it’s like banging your head against the wall, and incidentally, it’s not just me, all my neighbours on this road are appalled with whats going on, but we are all equally treated with contempt, we only live in semis.
Rant over.

Siskins are common winter visitors to the pine forests of North-West England and have been for many years.Macclesfield Forest and the Derwent Valley(of Dam Busters fame) regulary hold large flocks.It is only because these birds are opportunists and have only fairly recently adapted to bird-feeders in back gardens that people are beginning to notice them more often.Pete,I see you live in Essex,so these birds might well be slowly working their way back to Scandinavia via the shortest sea crossing of the English Channel.The males are really cracking little birds,aren’t they?

So you would be talking about this bird the Pine Siskin?

http://reasonandbrimstone.blogspot.com/2007/09/friday-bird-blogging-pine-siskin.html

My excitement last month was seeing a Mandarin Duck for the first time ever, what a Duck, obviously more common in your area!

No, the Pine Siskin is a North American species, doubt whether any have appeared over here, ours is the plain Siskin, it’s much more brightly coloured, the males are quite dazzlingly green with a black crest and much smaller than a Greenfinch. I’m looking at one now, everytime you look out the window, in fact, there’s always a couple about, it’s quite strange, I’ve never seen an alien species take over an area like this and I’ve been birdwatching for 35 years, everytime I look up from typing this, they are all over the garden. I suspect that because my garden is not too large, quite open and sympathetically planted, with a river, trees and a natural habitat over the fence, I can’t see anything but open woodland from where I’m sitting, plus the feeders, they think that they’re in heaven.
I can’t believe this, they are currently all over the trees, on the shed roof, hanging off the feeders, it’s very wierd.

Mandarin ducks are fantastic, no they aren’t very common around here, they seem to lurk around lakes in country homes, where they are considered part of the scenery, I haven’t actually seen one for years, they don’t seem to like a natural environment, obviously pampered beasts, but again, an introduced species.

Grey Area
I’ve had a Buzzard lurking around here for a few weeks, not it’s natural habitat, and it will probably go off in search of a mate, though it’s obviously latched on to the fact that there are a few siskins about, my local Sparrow Hawk, is having a field day, he always misses though.
Unlike the artificial introduction of Red Kites, Buzzards seem to have found their own way of sorting things out, good for them.

So you would be talking about this bird the Pine Siskin?

http://reasonandbrimstone.blogspot.com/2007/09/friday-bird-blogging-pine-siskin.html

My excitement last month was seeing a Mandarin Duck for the first time ever, what a Duck, obviously more common in your area!

….I was surprised to learn that those cute little collared doves only arrived as a pair, blown off course, in East Anglia, in the early 60’s, now they are everywhere….

I see a lot of those in my garden and in the small wood across the road.

I had no idea they were such a recent addition to our “native” fauna.

I’ve noticed that there are a lot more buzzards around than there used to be. They’re a very common sight in the countryside around Manchester Airport these days, whereas at one time you hardly used to see them at all in these parts.

It’s interesting how a species not indeginous to this habitat have adapted, there are currently 8 of these birds on my feeders, plus 2 next door. They are actually causing a bit of mayhem amongst the locals, the goldfinches aren’t getting a look in.
So many people now have bird tables and feeders, especially around here, it makes you wonder what these invaders would have done without them, not just them either, every morning the regulars actually sit on the fence waiting for me to top up the water and put out fresh seed.
I wonder what the bird population would be like without media personalities such as Bill Oddie persuading people to actually create what is in effect an artificial situation, or does it simply replace what has been lost through the demise of traditional farming methods.
I reckon that these siskins would have had a hard time of it without human interference, so do we encourage them, or let nature take its toll.
I was surprised to learn that those cute little collared doves only arrived as a pair, blown off course, in East Anglia, in the early 60’s, now they are everywhere, we had 5 in the garden yesterday lunchtime, and they have spread all over the country, meanwhile our natural wood pidgeons are declining, not that you would think so around here. A bit of a case of Grey Squirrel syndrome methinks.

interesting though i havn’t seen any down south here yet which is a shame though i think in the past we have had a few visit the garden over the years, i spend a good few hours a day watching the garden too – amazingly relaxing so you can be sure if they visit here i will notice.