chaffinches (1 Viewer)

jape

Well-known member

• Nov 28, 2017

• #1

gday, currently in UK and one of my daily pleasures is watching birds in garden hedges. I will never be a fanatic but I notice many birds after 30 yrs abroad that I enjoyed as a child.
I see spadgers, various tits, wood pidgeons, small crow things, magpie, thrush, robin, wren, blackbird. I do not see chaffinches but used to see many 30 yrs ago. Are they endangered or rare? Friends note same.
childhood in Kent, now in Warrington.

 

D

davercox

Dave Cox

Supporter

• Nov 29, 2017

• #2

Hi jape, and welcome to BF. I don't think chaffinches are declining; but at this time of year they do tend to flock together: so if there's no flock near you then you may not see any. But if you do find a flock then they can be very numerous indeed.

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• Nov 29, 2017

• #3

They have declined quite a bit in the last 10 years or so (BTO trends). There's also regional and local variation in numbers; if they don't like the habitat in Warrington (e.g. not enough trees), they'll move elsewhere.

PS Welcome to Birdforum!

 

jape

Well-known member

• Nov 30, 2017

• #4

Thanks. A friend has seen some but not local to me and smaller groups. I posted on FB and got a few reports of amateurs like me noticing decline and perhaps related to increase of magpies.

On a good note, a few bullfinch and goldfinches seen by some. Probably on teazel, probably also taking grapes from feeders.

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• Nov 30, 2017

• #5

jape said:

... and perhaps related to increase of magpies.

Click to expand...

Nothing to do with Magpies - they're declining now too, after earlier increase. More point to blame excessive manicuring of gardens, and too much use of pesticides and herbicides.

 

jape

Well-known member

• Dec 1, 2017

• #6

i do have responses of very serious predation of eggs and young this year, wrens, robins, blackbird and collared dove in one yard alone observed by friends by magpies but we are just amateurs noticing local effects which could have many reasons