Siskins, my kinda birds

This winter there were a couple of absentees from my bird feeders. One species that I missed was the siskin.

Most winters they arrive in flocks, mixed with redpolls and goldfinches, and although they’re one of the smallest of our finches, they compete bravely for the choice positions on the seed feeder.

They are adapted to feeding on tree seeds in the woodland canopy, mostly confers in spring and summer and alder and birch in winter. This means they are extremely agile and just as happy feeding upside down.