Siskin?

[gertie50]

Good mornin' all,

Saw this bird on the niger seed feeder, I think its a Siskin. Beautiful.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79331682@N02/8609373024/

Gertie

[gertie50]

[Flighty]

Lucky you, yes it is a male siskin. Terrific photo. I'm a bit envious as it's a bird that I've never seen.

[Digeroo]

Lovely pic.  I also never seen one.

[grannyjanny]

I have just had my binoculars out. I thought we had a pair of siskins on our Niger feeder but looking closely it appears to had s bit of red on its face. Not a goldfinch. Any ideas please Fligjty?

[GREGME]

I have just had my binoculars out. I thought we had a pair of siskins on our Niger feeder but looking closely it appears to had s bit of red on its face. Not a goldfinch. Any ideas please Fligjty?

Hard to assess without seeing but if its a small finch Redpoll or goldfinch both have red on head- siskin doesn't.
worth a pic if you can.

[grannyjanny]

Thank you Gregme. We think  you've cracked it & it's a redpoll. Not a  goldfinch as you have to be quick to see the red on this one & we have lots of GFs visiting the garden.

[Flighty]

Grannyjanny they were probably lesser redpolls. Lucky you seeing them as, sadly, they have declined rapidly in recent years. They're another bird that I've never seen.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/l/lesserredpoll/index.aspx

[gertie50]

I have just had my binoculars out. I thought we had a pair of siskins on our Niger feeder but looking closely it appears to had s bit of red on its face. Not a goldfinch. Any ideas please Fligjty?

Grannyjanny,

If you use the link on the first post you'll see redpolls on my slide show in flickr.

Gertie.

[grannyjanny]

Where would I be without the help of A4A twitchers. Thank you, a Red Poll it is. The Siskins were back today & also the Reed Buntings & the Gold Finches are using the niger feeder in the back garden. Thank you for your help folks.

[star]

Beautiful Siskin Gertie  .

I thought I had a lesser redpoll in the garden a few weeks ago, it turned out to be a Linnet....such pretty things 

Great pics