This pair of Chaffinch, the male above, were photographed on nearby Dartmoor. They are common birds in the UK and often taken for granted. The male is a pretty bird with a nice song as well. Females could easily be confused with sparrows by the casual observer but a close look will reveal the wing bars which are prominent in both sexes.  They are said to be more reliant on insects in the breeding season and you can clearly see the female here has a beak full of food.

The name is interesting and is derived from the chaff left after wheat has been harvested. They like to pick over in farmyards and at the harvest. You may be familiar with the expression "Can't separate the Wheat from the Chaff" which means you can't spot the good from the bad. My father, born in the 1920's, loved these birds and just referred to them simply and affectionately as "Chaffies"

Another common name in the north of England is "Spink"  which reflects the contact call of both sexes. This is just one of numerous colloquial names for the bird attesting to it's popularity in the UK which goes back even to the middle ages.