Luncheon for some finches

The weather hadn’t relented this morning so I mostly stayed indoors. The roofing felt on the cabin beside the patio has torn and bits are peeling off, so I’m a bit worried about what its repair will entail. Whatever the solution it will have to wait for the weather to improve. The roofing felt was nearing the end of its life so it really needs a more comprehensive solution. Oh dear. More money as I won’t be able to manage it myself.

By early afternoon the wind was still gusting very strongly, but the rain lessened to just intermittent drizzle. I headed out to the garden to replenish the sunflower feeder hanging over the patio near the cabin. I took my camera and sheltered from the wind in the cabin, which also allowed me to be less obvious to the birds flying onto perches on the surrounding shrubs and trees. They like to weigh up the situation and then fly onto the feeder when it seems safe.

There were robins, chaffinches, a greenfinch, blackcaps and bluetits, with a couple of blackbirds looking on enviously from nearby tree branches. I scattered some seeds on the ground for the birds that can’t perch on the feeders.

My main picture is obviously of one of the male bullfinches which was joined by a small flock of goldfinches. They all are happy to eat well and continuously on the feeder, whereas the bluetits tend to fly in to pick up a sunflower seed and then fly away to eat it on a safe branch. When there is disturbance such as an approach by another bird the equilibrium often shifts and the feeding birds will fly off.

A few minutes after my main picture there was some squabbling and I thought I’d add a couple of extras as I love to see their interactions and the wonderfully vivid colours on their outstretched wings. There wasn’t much else to please our eyes today.