Regular readers will have seen various recent posts showing you the beautiful baby Bullfinch who has been hanging around in our garden. We have become quite concerned about him as he often stayed too long in any one spot and didn’t seem too sure about what to do at the feeders. This morning, I put some sunflower hearts and mealworms on the grass for him as I had seem him in the same place for an hour or more. He didn’t move as I approached, just opened his beak in that baby gaping way as if I were his Mum bringing him food.
This is how close he came to me
I was able to get down to his level and use my macro. Click on the photo and zoom in to see his beautiful feathers. He seems to have some seed heads stuck in his chest and I continued to be worried about him.
Beautiful feathers
Our baby Bullfinch
Later, there were two Magpies feeding at the table who then, suddenly, made a dive for my baby. I chased them off but am not sure if I shouldn’t have let Nature have its way. I came back to the kitchen a couple of hours later and he was no longer anywhere to be seen and he hasn’t turned up in the subsequent hours. I’ll let you know if I find him………..
utesmile
March 24, 2018 at 11:37 am
What great pictures, you were so close and he didn’t fly off. Hope he is alright. Super pictures!
Heyjude
March 24, 2018 at 12:30 am
We get quite attached to the birds that come into our gardens don’t we? I have two collared doves that always came as a pair until the snowy days when only one turned up. I felt quite anxious about the other one and also how this one was coping on his/her own. Thankfully on Mother’s Day they both returned to feed. I hope your bullfinch survives, but if not then at least you have some lovely photos to honour him with.
mybeautfulthings
March 24, 2018 at 8:26 am
Thank you for these lovely comments. You are right about us getting attached to certain feathered visitors. We’ll miss that little chap.
Heyjude
March 24, 2018 at 10:40 am
My aim this year is to visit/re-visit the Great Cornish Gardens and also some smaller ones, but so far I haven’t been to one! Had hoped to tick a few off this month.
Heyjude
March 24, 2018 at 10:41 am
Sorry! This comment was meant for someone else! Don’t quite know how it managed to jump here!
mybeautfulthings
March 24, 2018 at 12:23 pm
Well, since it has! Let me recommend two gardens to start you off – Potager for a small and delightful place with a lovely small cafe and Trebah with a walk through the plants and a deep valley to the sea – two beauties for you. 🙂
Heyjude
March 24, 2018 at 3:33 pm
Heehee… thank you. We have actually been to the Potager (https://smallbluegreenflowers.wordpress.com/2016/08/14/garden-photography-organic-garden/) though it took some finding, and Trebah is one of my favourite gardens. Hoping for some sun tomorrow so we can pay it a visit. Any more recommendations? Nurseries? I am going to need to replace a few plants this year. I have been to Burncoose, but are there any others you like?
Patti Van Tuyl
March 23, 2018 at 11:48 pm
He’s a beauty. How fortunate you were to share a few days with him and to be able to help him out. If he was I’ll, I hope he has now found his rest.
mybeautfulthings
March 24, 2018 at 8:27 am
Me too. We’ll miss his gorgeousness.
nrhatch
March 23, 2018 at 10:12 pm
Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do . . . putting out some special treats for your visitor might have made its day!
mybeautfulthings
March 23, 2018 at 10:22 pm
I really hope so. 🙂
Arkenaten
March 23, 2018 at 9:03 pm
Tough call what to do?
We have taken abandoned birds to rescue places in the past and some we have left alone.
People often say ”Don’t interfere with nature,” but my answer is: Are we not also part of nature?
I have saved butterflies, bees, spiders and numerous other species.
If I find myself in the same space as an animal or insect in distress and I can lend assistance then I will do what I can.
Hope the bird turns up again. If there is free food on offer they often do.
Maybe ask for some advice from your local bird rescue people?
John Roberts
March 23, 2018 at 7:10 pm
Hi Sally.
I think you will find that your baby is actually a poorly adult with a disease. does he is much too fat, not just fluffed up. He is not long for this place. we had a similar one recently. I doubt it can fly very well either.
mybeautfulthings
March 23, 2018 at 7:20 pm
You may well be right. He was certainly overweight if not fluffed up and only seemed to fly from the fence to the ground and then to another fence. His beak opening was baby behaviour but I think he has probably gone, baby or poorly adult.
backstagestives
March 23, 2018 at 6:28 pm
Oh. A sad but ‘how life has to be’ story. I hope he’s happy and peaceful and literally flown off to a lovely life either here or someplace we can’t see. Thank you for the lovely pictures x
mybeautfulthings
March 23, 2018 at 7:22 pm
I hope so too. I feel quite sad about him, being unable to help, you know?