One of the pairs of bullfinches

We've had bullfinches in our garden for some years and they've usually produced offspring. Last winter I realised there were definitely two pairs of bullfinches in residence close by. I don't know where they nest but it must be behind the garden in rough scrub growing on the hillside leading down to the Lime Brook in The Horns valley. On one day I even saw five male bullfinches at the feeders at one time. Here the female is nearest to the camera.

Now the bullfinches aren't visiting quite so much. In fact most of the birds are spending time away from the food in the garden, today I saw that one of the pairs was staying quite close together in a small tree half way down the garden. A couple of days ago they were rubbing their heads against each other after flying around the goat willow branches in some sort of display. I'm hoping they are preparing to lay eggs in a nest.