Siskin Invasion

Hi,

We are over run with Siskins in our garden in Scotland this year. It is difficult to make an accurate count but at one sitting there was around 35 of them. I can hardly keep up with the feeding. Is anyone else experiencing high levels this year.

Hi MaKenzie, Welcome to the Bird Watching forum!

Thank you, I spend many happy hours doing so. Sometimes I just don`t have time for anything else (like housework) shame!

Have no shame!!! That's what rainy days and such are for. To blast through housework and to free up the rest of your time to watch the birds! LOL

Welcome!

Hi Mackenzie,

Had plenty of them earlier in the winter (Dec-Jan), but they've nearly all moved on now, up your way by the sound of it!

Welcome to the forum!

Resin

Hi,

Thanks all,

What is the usual behaviour for this little bird, do they migrate or just move around Britain? Last year I only had a couple of pairs which stayed around all Summer and brought their young to the bird table. This winter out of the 30 or so seen in the garden only 2 were female.

Mackenzie

They are variable migrants depending on food supplies. Some stay in Britain all year, but a lot also arrive here for the winter from Scandinavia and western Russia; the number that come is large in years when there is a cone crop failure in Scandinavia, small in years when there is a good crop there and they can stay put in Scandinavia.

Resin

Thanks all,

They now seem to have moved on bar a couple of pairs which seem to be nesting in a large conifer in the garden. I miss the chattering and fighting over the niger seed.

Mackenzie

I've never seen one in my neighborhood. I'd love to have him visit.