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john robinson
January 21st, 2008, 08:16 PM
Nice to see a flock of Bramblings in the garden today with the chaffs. About 5 males and 4 females. Going for the black sunflower and Niger on the ground.
Colin Key
January 22nd, 2008, 08:21 PM
Believe it or not John, although my UK list is not that far short of 400 (and not likely to increase until Gordon Brown abdicates or is shot, thereby tempting me back to "blighty") Brambling would be a lifer for me. :twitcy:

Colin
andy22
January 22nd, 2008, 08:58 PM
Hello john, i have a small garden and 4 cats but i still get some good finch flocks in the winter but ive only ever had 1 female brambling (last year). Do you get them often? I was on a website the other day and there was a flock of 1500 in surry!!! I can have up to 5 bull finches at one time and many chaffinches. Greenfinches and goldfinches are always flying over but they hardly come to the feeders (i think it's because of my cats).

andy
john robinson
January 22nd, 2008, 09:24 PM
Andy/Colin
Theres been a large flock in the Wyre for some weeks now but they have only just latched onto to my feeding station in the garden. They , along with the other finches are costing me a fortune in seed. They go a bundle on the foreign finch seed mix
( mainly millet)The male bramblings are superb but would be even better with a jet black head ! 10,000 pics coming up !
Josh Jones
January 25th, 2008, 04:03 PM
Believe it or not John, although my UK list is not that far short of 400 (and not likely to increase until Gordon Brown abdicates or is shot, thereby tempting me back to "blighty") Brambling would be a lifer for me. :twitcy:

How did you manage that Colin?!

I've nailed down some on my patch, coming to the new feeding station (there have been up to 11).
Colin Key
January 25th, 2008, 05:18 PM
How did you manage that Colin?!

I've nailed down some on my patch, coming to the new feeding station (there have been up to 11).

Dunno Josh, just that I have never consciously seen a Brambling. They certainly never came to our feeders in our garden in outer London. They also winter as far south as Portugal but I know a few birders who have never seen one here. Mind you, finches are very thin on the ground here; when I came to Portugal eleven years ago Chaffinch was a common bird, we had at least two pairs nesting on my land, and they could be heard singing almost all year round. I can't remember when I last saw or heard one.

Colin

P.S. Happy Birthday :beer::beer::beer: