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The Goldfinch Restaurant
At the End of our Mulberry
At the End of our Mulberry
Every Observation is an Opportunity
The arrival of carduelis carduelis in the garden sparked the idea of opening an opportunity for this colourful member of the Fringellidae family. 'Market research' advised that we had a potential clientele as far as location was concerned. Two birds had visited. They called again some days later and they brought a few friends.
Every Opportunity is an Observation et vv
The local garden centre had feeders which could act as ready-made alfresco platforms hung in trees. These birds are specialised feeders. The mulberry came out a clear winner when we discovered that goldfinches used a very specific flight path to arrive at their feeding perches
They would land on a branch high up and then hop down from one branch to another as if descending a stairs until they arrived at their eventual perch. Time to lay the table?
They would land on a branch high up and then hop down from one branch to another as if descending a stairs until they arrived at their eventual perch. Time to lay the table?
A feeder was primed with 'niger' seed and we began to observe what our new clients would get up to. We were helped by a particularly nasty period of very cold weather which reduced normal sources of their natural fare
As Winter oozed through February we had introduced a second platform and then a third. Within a fortnight we had built up a regular and ever- increasing clientele.
As Winter oozed through February we had introduced a second platform and then a third. Within a fortnight we had built up a regular and ever- increasing clientele.
Within a fortnight of opening we had built up a passing trade including the original pair who were daily visitors.
First perches were taken shortly after dawn in January but by February that had settled down to first orders about 7am with passing traffic flying in for most of the morning.
One day we had a large crowd all at once, maybe eight to ten causing much amusement as with only four perches and maybe ten looking for seed, a game of musical chairs with constant turnover ensued. There were a couple of more aggressive clients, bigger than the others.
Our attitude is to not interfere with nature [we have read and understand Isabella Tree's wilding project at Knepp] but we could provide extra seating and move perches around to different places without interfering with nature.
First perches were taken shortly after dawn in January but by February that had settled down to first orders about 7am with passing traffic flying in for most of the morning.
One day we had a large crowd all at once, maybe eight to ten causing much amusement as with only four perches and maybe ten looking for seed, a game of musical chairs with constant turnover ensued. There were a couple of more aggressive clients, bigger than the others.
Our attitude is to not interfere with nature [we have read and understand Isabella Tree's wilding project at Knepp] but we could provide extra seating and move perches around to different places without interfering with nature.
By mid February, we were getting continuous business right up to midday and even later so we opened further branches in different parts of the garden and away from the mulberry. One located near the kitchen window had an immediate visitor. This intrepid adventurer took a seat and gorged himself without interference from the riff-raff and the [larger] bullies in the Mulberry. We would have loved to offer him a post but he looked identical to the rabble and the position could be abused.
