12 Apr 2025
There are a number of goldfinches around Appleton. They are sociable birds, living in groups and chattering continuously. A group gathers in the tree by the gate at the bottom of Park La, and can be really noisy. The end of April marks the beginning of their breeding season. A busy goldfinch can be seen in the photos, gathering nesting materials from a lawn.
They nest in trees at the end of branches, occasionally in hedgerows or shrubs. The nest is constructed by the female, occasionally assisted by the male, and is made of roots, grasses, moss, lichens and with wool. Three to seven bluish-white eggs are laid, some with red-brown spotting and streaking, sometimes very dark. The male feeds the female whilst she is incubating the eggs. This carries on for twelve to thirteen days. The young leave the nest after thirteen or fourteen days.
The goldfinch is a specialist seed feeder. Its fine beak is perfectly adapted to extracting seeds from plants such as thistles and teasels. Insects and invertebrates are fed to young in spring and summer. The birds are known to adore niger seeds, and these are commonly used to attract them into people's gardens. Sunflower seed hearts are popular too.
Photos courtesy Alex WhiteAlex has written a book "Get Your Boots On" available on Amazon
