No sign of those finches.

[HanDiiMaNz]

Hello all,

Unfortunately no sign of any finches whatsoever. I did infact hear a chaffinch about 2-4 months ago it stayed around calling away for around 2 months and I haven't heard it since. I also live about a mile away from here: Clayhall, Ilford, Greater London IG4 5, United Kingdom - Google Maps

and can see it from where I live!

I have always been interested in finches and have listened to their calls on the RSPB website, I would know straight away if I ever heard it outside. As for food, I have two feeders filled with sunflower hearts, two with nuts, the other with a mixed seed, a suet block and some dried mealworm. This is all on one station which overhead flying birds would be able to see. I often get vast amounts of tits and sparrows but never any finches.

[aeshna5]

I don't doubt they're not visiting your garden, but I still find it difficult to believe they are not in the general area as I've birded all round the London area for over 30 years + apart from the most built-up areas hardly ever fail to find at least a couple of species of finch. Sometimes listening to a tape is very different to picking up flight calls in the field.

Perhaps if you go out with a more experienced birder from maybe a local RSPB group they might help locate some for you.

[Madelinew]

Try playing some recordings out of your window - it may bring them in. I know I annoyed a local robin by playing some robin calls in my garden. He came in shouting crossly at the interloper in his patch. Also my finches like niger seed and compete with the goldfinches on the feeder. It can take a couple of weeks to attract them with the niger feeders but it usually works. The greenfinches in particular like them.

[AshLee]

I have no finches on one feeding station and I get them (Chaffinches and Goldfinches) on the other in another part of the garden. No idea why, but they do seem to love the flowering cherry tree in that area.

[HanDiiMaNz]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I don't doubt they're not visiting your garden, but I still find it difficult to believe they are not in the general area as I've birded all round the London area for over 30 years + apart from the most built-up areas hardly ever fail to find at least a couple of species of finch. Sometimes listening to a tape is very different to picking up flight calls in the field.

Perhaps if you go out with a more experienced birder from maybe a local RSPB group they might help locate some for you.

Maybe, this is the first that I will have been feeding the birds, I strated in April. Hopfully I will get a few local migrate finches that manage to locate my feeders over this period.