Cheltenham Art

Artists

Frances Browne

Garden Visitors!

Oh - there, I saw them. That's a flock of Gold Finch in our garden! They flew into our tree first of all, then dropping to the ground - they picked up fallen seed from the bird feeders, then they were gone!  

They're awesome! No bigger than other types of finch in the UK, but as far as looks go, they are the prettiest of all that I have seen. They have a pleasant song too, but I think with their looks and song it's the reason they are caged and sold in pet shops. I hate that! 

The collective noun for a congregation of Gold Finch is a 'Charm', and that's so appropriate for such great little birds. The boy and girl birds look the same. It is the girl bird that builds the nest in the upper branches of a tree. The nest is a neat woven 'cup' where four to seven blue-white eggs, streaked in red-brown are laid.

The chicks hatch and fledge in 3-4 weeks, staying with their parents for a further week until they fly off, and hopefully visit your garden too someday, or perhaps you are lucky enough just to find them in a meadow, plucking seeds from thistles or grasses. 

Contact Details

Frances Browne can be contacted by e-mail:

franbrowne@onetel.com

Cheltenham Art