A Huge Charm of Goldfinches

Ritchie Dinnes has sent these pictures from Kilmory showing the largest charm of goldfinches he has ever seen. In one picture, it's possible to count nearly 90 sitting along a wire.

This summer's weather seems to have suited the thistles, which are one of the goldfinch's favourite autumn foods, but there must have been something earlier in the summer which enabled them to breed in such numbers.

We certainly saw healthy numbers in our garden: this juvenile goldfinch was one of many feeding on our bird seed back in August.