A male SISKIN in the garden at 1800. After making a comment that all the exciting birds had long ago left the garden this turns up on the fence to go down on to my neigbours feeders. I immediately filled my Sunflower feeder and minutes later it was seen on there! I would have expected Siskin to have left the area long ago and am surprised to see one in the garden, a Male in spanking breeding condition.

The garden has pretty much cleared of exciting birds, the Goldfinches are still in and out, Collared Doves and a pair of breeding Blackbirds are about it. So, my attentions now are diverted to to the local Exminster Marsh and a chance to see and snap the Warblers that have arrived and are singing for territory. Now is a good time to get close to them. For the 6th day running I have been to try and photograph the Cettis Warblers, a nationally scarce bird but one that is common here in Devon, particularly on the Marsh. In fact they are resident here all year round but more obvious at present with their explosive song. Last year at exactly this time I was doing much the same so you could say that I was pretty pleased when I predicted where one would perch. After studying it for 6 days, it eventually “played ball”. They are not the most pretty species in Britain but their elusive nature has made them attractive to me. They patrol up and down their territory and rarely stay in the open for more than a few seconds before diving down in to cover. 

A male SISKIN in the garden at 1800.  After making a comment that all the exciting birds had long ago left the garden this turns up on the fence to go down on to my neigbours feeders. I immediately  filled my Sunflower feeder and minutes later it was seen on there!