Bullfinches

[htcdude]

There's a few at one of my local patches I've just started to visit, lovely little birds to see, especially against the snow (when we have it!)

Nige

[Pease]

I'm based in Middlesbrough, and my office although in a business park, runs alongside the river Tees. As well as a lot of interesting birds heading over to RSPB Saltholme - and even a few grey and harbour seals in the river itself we do have quite a few bullfinches here. Mostly I see them on the whitebeam trees adjacent to a vacant building plot.

A great place I went to over the weekend - Washington WWT near Newcastle had a huge amount of bullfinches. If you get the chance, or are near here I would highly recommend a visit - in the hide we went to we saw large numbers of blue, great, coal, long tailed and willow tits, chaffinches, blackbirds, bull finches, woodpeckers and goldcrests. Aside from these two places, I have to admit I don't see them all that much

[werry]

I have goldfinches,green finches,chaffinches in the garden on the feeders over this cold snap plus other welcome visitors, but not one Bullie.I wont give up on them though as some have said they are a shy bird. As for song thrushes i am so pleased these days to see one, last year it was only one!.

[~T~]

Funny I don't find them that shy. I have even had them come down when I'm in the garden when most other birds keep away (well those and the fearless siskins).

[~T~]

Bullfinch having lunch today

[RobinP]

10 in the garden today. They are a shy bird but have been visiting my feeders for the last 20+ years.

Robin

[dunkeld]

I was vvery impressed cosmicma with your shots of the Bullfinch pair,I saw a pair today feeding close to some Bramblings.
I saw eight the other day ,Bullies that is ,the thing about the Bullies was the fact that they were stripping the "outer skin" from around the wee buds of the tree they were on and letting it fall. This skin was light colour on the outside but when stripped off it was a pale red colour,not pink. Perhaps this is normal behaviour but I had not seen it before. There were several bullies "stripping". I have no idea the species of tree.

[Billabong Karen]

I have heard that they used to be unpopular with fruit tree growers, because of this habit, which can destroy fruit blossom. Not sure if this is true, though!

[Sandie&Russ]

For the past 6 months or more we have had many bullfinches in our garden - Hampshire area - they seem to like the sunflower seeds we put in the feeders they are such a brilliant colour, but didn't see them much at all in previous years so hopefully numbers are increasing. Wish we would see more thrushes we put the right food out but only see one every now & again.

[DOXHOPE]

Originally Posted by Billabong Karen

I have heard that they used to be unpopular with fruit tree growers, because of this habit, which can destroy fruit blossom. Not sure if this is true, though!

Very true, fruit growers could, and I still think can get a licence to trap bullfinches, these are caught in various drop in type trap cages, and are dispatched by crushing the birds skull/neck with forefinger and thumb..