The RSPB Radipole Nature Reserve in Weymouth was quite disappointing for wildlife during my recent visit, except for the presence of a large flock of Siskin (Carduelis spinus), their distinctive happy chattering audible from quite some distance along the path. (If you’re not familiar with their call, the RSPB website has a sound file you can listen to, though be aware that I could hear a Blackbird singing in the background, as well.)

Siskin are traditionally found in coniferous woodland but I’ve noticed that, especially in the winter months, they can be found wherever there’s an abundance of Alder trees, as they seem to love using their sharp beaks to prise open the cones to extract the tasty nutritious seeds.

I was interested to note in Fauna Britannica that two of their several vernacular names are black-headed thistlefinch (though I’ve never seen them eating thistle seeds) and tea leaves (sadly there’s no explanation given for the origin of this Cheshire name, which seems quite extraordinary).