What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
W H Davies
The Goldfinch
is a species which in recent years has done well as far as numbers are
concerned, at least locally. The
Northumberland Bird Atlas findings support my own observations and point to the
availability of garden feeding as one likely cause of this success. I regularly see Goldfinches nearby and even
more often hear their calls.
Nevertheless, it is a species that has been a very infrequent visitor to
my garden over the years. Despite an investment in a nyjer feeder years ago and
my attempts to encourage them with nyjer and black sunflower seed, they have
remained elusive, that is until the past few days. A pair have now begun to visit and feed on
the sunflower seed and explore the birdbath, so I am hoping more will follow. They have been visiting each day now for over
a week. The the common Goldfinch along
with the Bullfinch are two species that would compete on equal terms in making a
watcher’s eyes turn even when watching birds in more exotic surrounds. I believe we take our common birds far too
much for granted. I decided to refresh
myself on some facts about the Goldfinch.
Many readers
will know that the collective noun for Goldfinches is charm, but some
may not know where the use of charm stems from. It is derived from the old English c’irm used
in describing the bird’s twittering song.
The
scientific name for Goldfinch is Carduelis carduelis which is
derived from the Latin for thistle, Carduss. One vernacular name for Goldfinch is thistle
finch, reflecting the bird’s favourite food.
Other vernacular names include goldie, gold linnet, seven coloured
linnet, King Henry/Harry, King Harry Redcap, and petaldick. King Henry refers to King Henry Eighth who
was thought to be dapper, as is the Goldfinch.
With it’s
connection to thistles and thorns and its red face, this has led to the
Goldfinch being associated to Christ and the crucifixion and may explain why so
many images of the Goldfinch appear in Renaissance paintings, many of them
showing Mary with the baby Jesus. It was
believed that the red face of the bird depicts the blood of Christ and appeared
after the bird had come down to fee on the crown of thorns at the crucifixion
and dipped its head into the blood of Christ.
Robin
Coal Tit
I am happy
to say that whilst unable yet to capture an image of the Wren, I can
listen each day to its singing in the garden.
At least one Collared Dove has now reappeared but is not being
welcomed by the pair of Wood Pigeons which have made this area home and
now come up to the window and appear to stare me out if I have forgotten to put
seed on the lawn. The Robin of
course is always just so happy to pose for the camera whilst the Coal Tits
are regulars again.
Magpie
Collard Dove
I have added the odd image from the garden. Don't forget to click on image to up size.
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