Bullfinches

[GFM]

I have seen very few of these fantastic birds-ever!
Last week I saw 2 near to a beck in Wakefield. When you see them they really are one of the most attractive birds, however are they as rare as I think?

[willing to learn]

Loads in my neck of the woods at the moment,Derbyshire.
Regards
Colin

[Dogghound]

Yes loads here in North Yorkshire. The area I live is a good stronghold for them. Always great to see though.

[2dogs2000]

I saw my first one just over a week ago at my friends house. Her garden backs onto the woods and with the snow in the background it really stood out. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera and I was gutted. She probably has them quite often but she is not a birdwatcher and has never noticed them before.

[Cheryl]

I hear them when out walking in the local park - very rarely see them though, except for when they are flying off - otherwise they tend to be well hidden in the hedges.

Lovely picture Colin

[LRM]

We have two pairs resident in the garden and every year they raise young. At the moment there are at least 8 coming to the bird tables. They readily come to the table all the year round. I presume the young must disperse elsewhere come spring. They seem to be quite succesfull in raising young (to start with at least) or maybe they are just more noticeable than some of the others. The young are similiar colour chests to the female, brownish rather than the red of the male. It is interesting to watch over the weeks as some of them gradually change to the red male colour. Alot of young of all species gradually disappear. disperse? cats? or the sparrowhawk? which is a regular visitor.

[BillyPilgrim]

I occasionally see them around Bretton Lakes (near Wakey) but I've never been close enough to get a decent photo. Come to think of it I've not seen any this winter so I'll look out for them tomorrow morning.

[Ollie]

They are reasonably common around me in Lincolnshire. I know of at least three different spots that they can be regularly seen.

Getting close enough to them for a decent photo is a different matter though. Took me an hour and a half of patiently waiting in freezing cold weather to get these. I had seen them feeding on Guelder Rose berries earlier in the week but didn't have time to wait and get photos so went back at the first opportunity and concealed myself best I could and was finally rewarded with a few nice shots.

[Jez]

Super shots Roger, that's what I call commitment!

Guelder Rose a native shrub that makes an Ideal garden plant if you want to encourage these beautiful birds to come feed in our gardens!

[acherontia]

Great images, Roger - and very typically caught with the fruit. The colours are beatiful.
We have bullies on and off. Last summer/autumn a female and two males were quite regular. We never did, despite watching the behaviour, work out what was going on.
One male was younger (well he certainly looked it) but he was too old to be an offspring of that year and yet the older male was extremely tolerant. Makes you wonder whether we know everything that goes on in a 'different' world.

Acher