On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 15:34:52 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 27 Dec 2003 22:08:17 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 18:53:47 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


My wife and I have an inviolate arrangement that neither will ever
give
the
other any present, unless the prospective recipient sees it, and
approves
of
it before any money is spent.

My wife and I pick our own presents, sometimes we get extras as a
surprise. The bird house, bird feeder and a bag of bird seed were
presents from my son. I suppose I could use the bird seed as lawn
seed. After all the birds did eat most of the lawn seed before
somebody here suggested covering it with fleece.
Our garden is inundated with hungry green finches this year, I have
never seen so many before

Ditto, plus goldfinches

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

You are talking about three entirely separate species.
They are utterly non-confusable.

Goldfinches have an unmistakable red blotch over the whole face

so ours are not goldfinches

Yellowhammers have a bright yellow appearance

so have our greenfinches
BUT

Greenfinches are dull green with a yellow flash on the side

that's how they looked when viewed through a pair of binoculars.Viewed
with the naked eye only the yellow wing feathers were noticeable.


The likely visitors to bird tables are greenfinches and goldfinches.

They are green finches.

You could not mistake them for one another,

and, believe it or not, we had fieldfares within ten
yards of the front of the house.
The birds are costing us an arm and a leg in nuts, seeds and fatty cakes

I attached an old Compuserve CD to the top of the balls of fat to stop
the starlings eating the fat. Now we only have coal tits eating the
fat.

In the meantime most of the birds learnt to ignore the CDs, it took
one coal tit only three passes before it ignored a CD and started
eating again. The starlings are still a bit reluctant.

So much for the idea of hanging strings of Compuserve CDs from the
rigging to deter seagulls from crapping on your boat.
--
Martin

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 15:34:52 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 27 Dec 2003 22:08:17 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 18:53:47 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


My wife and I have an inviolate arrangement that neither will ever
give
the
other any present, unless the prospective recipient sees it, and
approves
of
it before any money is spent.

My wife and I pick our own presents, sometimes we get extras as a
surprise. The bird house, bird feeder and a bag of bird seed were
presents from my son. I suppose I could use the bird seed as lawn
seed. After all the birds did eat most of the lawn seed before
somebody here suggested covering it with fleece.
Our garden is inundated with hungry green finches this year, I have
never seen so many before

Ditto, plus goldfinches

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

You are talking about three entirely separate species.
They are utterly non-confusable.

Goldfinches have an unmistakable red blotch over the whole face

so ours are not goldfinches

Yellowhammers have a bright yellow appearance

so have our greenfinches
BUT

Greenfinches are dull green with a yellow flash on the side

that's how they looked when viewed through a pair of binoculars.Viewed
with the naked eye only the yellow wing feathers were noticeable.


The likely visitors to bird tables are greenfinches and goldfinches.

They are green finches.

You could not mistake them for one another,

and, believe it or not, we had fieldfares within ten
yards of the front of the house.
The birds are costing us an arm and a leg in nuts, seeds and fatty cakes

I attached an old Compuserve CD to the top of the balls of fat to stop
the starlings eating the fat. Now we only have coal tits eating the
fat.

In the meantime most of the birds learnt to ignore the CDs, it took
one coal tit only three passes before it ignored a CD and started
eating again. The starlings are still a bit reluctant.

So much for the idea of hanging strings of Compuserve CDs from the
rigging to deter seagulls from crapping on your boat.
--
Martin

"martin" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash on
the sied is quite conspicuous.
Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.

I think the siskins and serins mentioned by Rusty Hionge arte a lot less
likely to visit a bird table.

If I remove the Compuserve CDs from the tree, perhaps they will return
for closer scrutiny.



Candidates:

1) Siskin: Under 5". Small green finch, forked tail, male has black cap
and bib. Female duller, and lighter beneath.

2) Serin: same size as the siskin, unlikely, unless you've suddenly
found a forested mountain nearby....... Wild version of the canary.

3) Greenfinch: at just under 6", a bigger bird than the siskin, powerful
beak - sorry - bill

4) Crossbill: 6½"-ish. Unlikely. They like coniferous forests or groups
of mature conifers.

5) Goldfinch: just over 5". Red face,

the birds faces are not red.

white sides to head, black cap.
Mainly buff and black, but with bright yellow bar sandwiched between two
dark grey bars along the wings, and with a white trailing edge. Powerful
bill.

6) Yellowhammer: slightly larger than the greenfinch at 6½"-ish. Male:
face and underside yellow and a dark bar across the eyes and
concentric-ish curved bars round it. Chestnut rump and white streaks
along either side of the tail.

7) Yellow-breasted bunting: rare - unlikely.

HTH

not yet, but perhaps later.

Franz

"martin" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash on
the sied is quite conspicuous.
Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.

I think the siskins and serins mentioned by Rusty Hionge arte a lot less
likely to visit a bird table.

If I remove the Compuserve CDs from the tree, perhaps they will return
for closer scrutiny.



Candidates:

1) Siskin: Under 5". Small green finch, forked tail, male has black cap
and bib. Female duller, and lighter beneath.

2) Serin: same size as the siskin, unlikely, unless you've suddenly
found a forested mountain nearby....... Wild version of the canary.

3) Greenfinch: at just under 6", a bigger bird than the siskin, powerful
beak - sorry - bill

4) Crossbill: 6½"-ish. Unlikely. They like coniferous forests or groups
of mature conifers.

5) Goldfinch: just over 5". Red face,

the birds faces are not red.

white sides to head, black cap.
Mainly buff and black, but with bright yellow bar sandwiched between two
dark grey bars along the wings, and with a white trailing edge. Powerful
bill.

6) Yellowhammer: slightly larger than the greenfinch at 6½"-ish. Male:
face and underside yellow and a dark bar across the eyes and
concentric-ish curved bars round it. Chestnut rump and white streaks
along either side of the tail.

7) Yellow-breasted bunting: rare - unlikely.

HTH

not yet, but perhaps later.

Franz

"martin" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash on
the sied is quite conspicuous.
Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.

I think the siskins and serins mentioned by Rusty Hionge arte a lot less
likely to visit a bird table.

If I remove the Compuserve CDs from the tree, perhaps they will return
for closer scrutiny.



Candidates:

1) Siskin: Under 5". Small green finch, forked tail, male has black cap
and bib. Female duller, and lighter beneath.

2) Serin: same size as the siskin, unlikely, unless you've suddenly
found a forested mountain nearby....... Wild version of the canary.

3) Greenfinch: at just under 6", a bigger bird than the siskin, powerful
beak - sorry - bill

4) Crossbill: 6½"-ish. Unlikely. They like coniferous forests or groups
of mature conifers.

5) Goldfinch: just over 5". Red face,

the birds faces are not red.

white sides to head, black cap.
Mainly buff and black, but with bright yellow bar sandwiched between two
dark grey bars along the wings, and with a white trailing edge. Powerful
bill.

6) Yellowhammer: slightly larger than the greenfinch at 6½"-ish. Male:
face and underside yellow and a dark bar across the eyes and
concentric-ish curved bars round it. Chestnut rump and white streaks
along either side of the tail.

7) Yellow-breasted bunting: rare - unlikely.

HTH

not yet, but perhaps later.

Franz

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 15:34:52 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 27 Dec 2003 22:08:17 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 18:53:47 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


My wife and I have an inviolate arrangement that neither will ever
give
the
other any present, unless the prospective recipient sees it, and
approves
of
it before any money is spent.

My wife and I pick our own presents, sometimes we get extras as a
surprise. The bird house, bird feeder and a bag of bird seed were
presents from my son. I suppose I could use the bird seed as lawn
seed. After all the birds did eat most of the lawn seed before
somebody here suggested covering it with fleece.
Our garden is inundated with hungry green finches this year, I have
never seen so many before

Ditto, plus goldfinches

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

You are talking about three entirely separate species.
They are utterly non-confusable.

Goldfinches have an unmistakable red blotch over the whole face

so ours are not goldfinches

Yellowhammers have a bright yellow appearance

so have our greenfinches
BUT

Greenfinches are dull green with a yellow flash on the side

that's how they looked when viewed through a pair of binoculars.Viewed
with the naked eye only the yellow wing feathers were noticeable.


The likely visitors to bird tables are greenfinches and goldfinches.

They are green finches.

You could not mistake them for one another,

and, believe it or not, we had fieldfares within ten
yards of the front of the house.
The birds are costing us an arm and a leg in nuts, seeds and fatty cakes

I attached an old Compuserve CD to the top of the balls of fat to stop
the starlings eating the fat. Now we only have coal tits eating the
fat.

In the meantime most of the birds learnt to ignore the CDs, it took
one coal tit only three passes before it ignored a CD and started
eating again. The starlings are still a bit reluctant.

So much for the idea of hanging strings of Compuserve CDs from the
rigging to deter seagulls from crapping on your boat.
--
Martin

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 16:05:59 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash on
the sied is quite conspicuous.
Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.

They are greenfinches.

I blame the perpetual rain and gloom in this part of the world for the
greenish colour not being more obvious. :-(((
--
Martin

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 16:05:59 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash on
the sied is quite conspicuous.
Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.

They are greenfinches.

I blame the perpetual rain and gloom in this part of the world for the
greenish colour not being more obvious. :-(((
--
Martin

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 16:05:59 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash on
the sied is quite conspicuous.
Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.

They are greenfinches.

I blame the perpetual rain and gloom in this part of the world for the
greenish colour not being more obvious. :-(((
--
Martin

"martin" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash on
the sied is quite conspicuous.
Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.

I think the siskins and serins mentioned by Rusty Hionge arte a lot less
likely to visit a bird table.

If I remove the Compuserve CDs from the tree, perhaps they will return
for closer scrutiny.



Candidates:

1) Siskin: Under 5". Small green finch, forked tail, male has black cap
and bib. Female duller, and lighter beneath.

2) Serin: same size as the siskin, unlikely, unless you've suddenly
found a forested mountain nearby....... Wild version of the canary.

3) Greenfinch: at just under 6", a bigger bird than the siskin, powerful
beak - sorry - bill

4) Crossbill: 6½"-ish. Unlikely. They like coniferous forests or groups
of mature conifers.

5) Goldfinch: just over 5". Red face,

the birds faces are not red.

white sides to head, black cap.
Mainly buff and black, but with bright yellow bar sandwiched between two
dark grey bars along the wings, and with a white trailing edge. Powerful
bill.

6) Yellowhammer: slightly larger than the greenfinch at 6½"-ish. Male:
face and underside yellow and a dark bar across the eyes and
concentric-ish curved bars round it. Chestnut rump and white streaks
along either side of the tail.

7) Yellow-breasted bunting: rare - unlikely.

HTH

not yet, but perhaps later.

Franz

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 16:05:59 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash on
the sied is quite conspicuous.
Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.

They are greenfinches.

I blame the perpetual rain and gloom in this part of the world for the
greenish colour not being more obvious. :-(((
--
Martin

In article , Franz Heymann
writes

"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash on
the sied is quite conspicuous.
Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.

I think the siskins and serins mentioned by Rusty Hionge arte a lot less
likely to visit a bird table.

They are becoming more likely to visit bird tables, in mixed flocks.
Much more likely to be thought of as 'yellowhammers' than greenfinches.

Siskins are 'bird shaped', greenfinches are rather long and thin.
Goldfinches aren't obviously yellow - the yellow flash on the wings
shows when they fly, but sitting down the most obvious is the red on the
head.

Yellowhammers are IIRC decreasing in frequency, and I've only ever seen
them singly.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , Franz Heymann
writes

"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash
on
the sied is quite conspicuous.
Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.

I think the siskins and serins mentioned by Rusty Hionge arte a lot less
likely to visit a bird table.

They are becoming more likely to visit bird tables, in mixed flocks.
Much more likely to be thought of as 'yellowhammers' than greenfinches.

Siskins are 'bird shaped', greenfinches are rather long and thin.
Goldfinches aren't obviously yellow - the yellow flash on the wings
shows when they fly, but sitting down the most obvious is the red on the
head.

Yellowhammers are IIRC decreasing in frequency, and I've only ever seen
them singly.

I have not heard or seen yellowhammer for fifteen years or more, and I have
only ever seen serins in Switzerland and France.

Franz

"Franz Heymann" wrote in message
...
:
: "Kay Easton" wrote in message
: ...
: In article , Franz Heymann
: writes
:
: "martin" wrote in message
: .. .
: On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
: wrote:
:
: The message
: from martin contains these words:
:
: I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green
finches.
: I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.
:
: To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
: feathers are yellow.
:
: The green on a greenfinch is a very, very dull green. The yellow flash
: on
: the sied is quite conspicuous.
: Have a nother look. I opt for greenfinch.
:
: I think the siskins and serins mentioned by Rusty Hionge arte a lot
less
: likely to visit a bird table.
:
: They are becoming more likely to visit bird tables, in mixed flocks.
: Much more likely to be thought of as 'yellowhammers' than greenfinches.
:
: Siskins are 'bird shaped', greenfinches are rather long and thin.
: Goldfinches aren't obviously yellow - the yellow flash on the wings
: shows when they fly, but sitting down the most obvious is the red on the
: head.
:
: Yellowhammers are IIRC decreasing in frequency, and I've only ever seen
: them singly.
:
: I have not heard or seen yellowhammer for fifteen years or more, and I
have
: only ever seen serins in Switzerland and France.
:
: Franz
:
Yellowhammers are decreasing but they are still around and can usually be
heard because of their very distinctive call, even if they are not seen.

Serins are a very occasional visitor.

The female greenfinches are harder to pick out as they are less distinctive
and paler than the male.

K

Well I got a washer/dryer - energy efficiency rating "B". I told my
colleague from work, my opposite number in "public sector", and she said,
"Get thee behind me, satan!" - We both work in energy efficiency/renewable
energy for our local council. She's not speaking to me now, because I didn't
get an "A" rated one.

Still not sure how FC got it down the chimbley, though ;-) He did a good job
of plumbing it in, too.

Oh - and a nice bottle of Lindisfarne mead . . . :-)



Andrew


"Mike" wrote in message
...

2 Royal Navy reference books.
A Stanley Home wheelable tool kit box so I can now gather all my tools
into
one box and know where they are :-))
Pair of Slippers which I must put on before Grandson visits.
Travel Vouchers for our Cruise in September

and to keep it on a gardening topic
Joan will receive a little cast iron notice 'GRAN'S GARDEN' to stick in
the
garden when Grandson comes over. Bought from a place just outside Torquay,
Cockington Olde Forge (Closed in January but well worth a visit if you are
in the area on a later date. They also do Horse Brasses in various designs
on or off the leather strap. I bought a couple of 'Square and Compasses'
for
the Lodge Raffles and one with the RAF Wings on for the RAF Reunion
Raffle)