View Full Version : Goldcrests
firecrest
04-02-2009, 22:43
Ive never seen a goldcrest before, I know they arent rare, but Ive never seen one where I live. Just yesterday I saw one in the garden and then two more on the way to work in different locations!
Have their numbers increased?
saddle_tramp
04-02-2009, 22:54
I dont know if thier numbers are up. I know theyre not uncommon down here, but hardly ever see them, unless theres pine trees about
bit like owls, there must be hundred times as many tawnies as there are barn owls, but see more barn owls than tawnies simply cos their white n show up
bikething
04-02-2009, 23:03
Ive never seen a goldcrest before, I know they arent rare, but Ive never seen one where I live. Just yesterday I saw one in the garden and then two more on the way to work in different locations!
Have their numbers increased?That's the third time in a week I've heard goldcrests mentioned (You, my next door neighbour, and my Mum who lives in the middle of Plymouth :eek: ).. Not sure if their numbers have increased, or maybe they're seeking out alternative food sources as the winter starts to bite?
did you get any photos? :)
firecrest
04-02-2009, 23:05
`fraid I didnt get any photos, those things are so fast!
C_Claycomb
04-02-2009, 23:17
They don't sit still for long and that's for sure. Even more hyper active than wrens. My mum and dad have had one showing up at their fat ball feeder for a few weeks. They also have had a black cap, which isn't something that they had ever seen in the area before.
Barn Owl
04-02-2009, 23:47
Looking for food will bring them out a bit more,
Blackcaps are a migratory bird but more and more are staying through our winters.
bikething
04-02-2009, 23:57
`fraid I didnt get any photos, those things are so fast!
My mum brought out my dad's video camera with it on film.... you can hear the conversation in the background..
<mum> what's that little bird?
<dad> it's a chaffinch....
<mum> it's too small for a chaffinch..
<dad> maybe it shrunk in the cold... :rolleyes:
saddle_tramp
05-02-2009, 02:30
i got a solitary male blackcap visting me feeders, first one ive seen in the winter time. i got a cheapo digital camera now, so il try and get a picture of him
British Red
05-02-2009, 06:37
A tip taught to me by Jon Pickett was to put out Niger seed (a form of fine black thistle seed). This stuff is a favourite food of goldfinches. Since I started putting it out I have them in the garden almost every day....takes a few weeks for them to catch on but when they have, they treat you as their favourite restaurant. They sit on the feeder for hours pecking away!
And yes...I get loads of photos :)
bikething
05-02-2009, 10:54
And yes...I get loads of photos :)
I don't see any BR <hint> ;)
British Red
05-02-2009, 12:27
I don't see any BR <hint> ;)
Haven't loaded them all (got a nice snowy one somewhere). Here's a few though
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3015/3010045997_418122120e_m.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3060/2351545697_7a600e5856_m.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2378/2513681599_aa8c5e5af5_m.jpg
You can see the Niger seed in the middle one - it needs a special feeder as its so fine (only costs a few quid though)
H
w00dsmoke
05-02-2009, 14:49
Some cool goldfinch photo's there. V nice. It's amazing really but when we get cold snaps and snow the birds really do have to move further afield for food and this is when we have a god chance of seeing them. I had a goldcrest in the garden not long ago and these we birds are really suceptable to the cold, you sometimes find them dead after a really cold spell. Near Glasgow there has been lots of waxwings sighted which have been nice and on the rivers there have been some unusual birds too. Right in the centre of Glasgow on the Kelvin River there have been goosanders feeding on frogs coming down to spawn and the herons have been grabbing the frogs from the goosanders! I saw this in the botanic gardens the other day and it was amazing to watch. Last week I was sitting by the river Leven (birding) that flows out of Loch Lomond and a water rail walked up the bank about 8ft away and walked down the cycle way for a few meters then flew over into a reed bed! Even though its not good for the bird sits great for us to watch them and look for sign of tracks from the mammals.
Goldcrests are actually in decline in the UK (or have been for several years) but we do get large flocks of visitors in the UK in winter. It could be that bad weather elsewhere has forced more over.
British Red
05-02-2009, 22:38
Here we go then - helping the poor little blighters through the snow - funny little things - they sit there so quiet - like little old men on a bench
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3445/3256013787_4fa256b03b_o.jpg
Red
saddle_tramp
06-02-2009, 02:53
thems proper nice pics,
Goldcrests are actually in decline in the UK (or have been for several years) but we do get large flocks of visitors in the UK in winter. It could be that bad weather elsewhere has forced more over.
Broch, where does this come from ?
The BTO Atlas results suggest an increase between 1994 and 2007 50% increase in population with CIs of 38% to 63% (Doesn't say what CIs they are using but I assume 95%).
See
http://www.bto.org/bbs/results/latest_results.htm
Graham
Interesting, the RSPB claim they have been in decline for some time and that it has been included in the Amber list - you choose your source and form your oppinion I guess.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goldcrest/index.asp
BTW, just in case there is anyone reading this forum who is not 'bird aware' - those are pictures of a Goldfinch not a Goldcrest - but we all knew that didn't we?
Interesting, the RSPB claim they have been in decline for some time and that it has been included in the Amber list - you choose your source and form your oppinion I guess.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goldcrest/index.asp
Doesn't make it easy to form an opinion. The BTO figures are "hard numbers" from long term survey work, but not bang up to date. So it could be the RSPB blurb is more up to date, or simply a bit of sloppy writing.
If you read the definition of being an Amber species, It is still possible for the species to be increasing and also be on the Amber list, if historically they were found at much greater numbers.
Graham
firecrest
06-02-2009, 20:25
Interesting, the RSPB claim they have been in decline for some time and that it has been included in the Amber list - you choose your source and form your oppinion I guess.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goldcrest/index.asp
BTW, just in case there is anyone reading this forum who is not 'bird aware' - those are pictures of a Goldfinch not a Goldcrest - but we all knew that didn't we?
I wondered if we were getting mixed up!
I meant goldcrest aka
http://www.arthurgrosset.com/europebirds/photos/regreg8572.jpg
I used to have a pet goldFINCH aka:
http://larelle.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/goldfinch.jpg
which I can tell you turned a miserable sparrow brown in captivity. Its light beige comes from the teasel seeds it eats, sadly my bird had one leg and no tail and couldnt be released.
I'm pleased we cleared that up :)
I had a pet Goldfinch as well, it had a beautiful song - kept it next to a Zebra Finch which squawked. The Goldfinch ended up far lesss melodeous and the Zebra Finch actually started singing - well squeaking instead of squawking anyway.
firecrest
06-02-2009, 20:54
ours only used to sing when the hoover was on. It also made a "beep pip" noise when you stood up and a "pip beep" when you came in the room. Dunno what that was all about. despite being hand raised from being pink and blind, it grew up to be wild and feared people.
British Red
06-02-2009, 21:28
How on earth did I miss that - I even typed goldfinch, and I read goldfinch even though gold crest is clearly written - mea culpa :o :o
Have a goldcest by way of apology :rolleyes:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2184/1619289629_e8b269aa72_o.jpg