Goldfinch feeding on our evening primrose seeds

We've been having a very easy day after two long days running the market stalls, particularly on Friday evening when the 'Goodwill Evening' didn't end until 9pm. Then I had to print a load mores tock as we had done well. There was a good atmosphere with both regular local people and many visitors to the town.

I spent some time just gazing into the rainy garden from my study window. I noticed a goldfinch was feeding on the dried stems of the some evening primrose plants which I'd deliberately left in situ as I hoped they might provide good food for birds. So I was delighted to see this goldfinch flitting between four or five plants.

I couldn't resist going out with my camera to the garden, after trying rathe unsuccessfully to film it through the double glazing.  I had time to watch and observe how it perched and then dug around into the seed holder to find the food. It had to keep a wary eye out for danger as you can see here. In fact the day before yesterday I heard a buzzard being mobbed in the next door garden's trees. It then flew about ten feet above the ground over the fence and away down the hillside. 

I've also seen sparrowhawks flying very low over these back gardens and swooping along just above hedges. At one time it came within about ten feet of where I was standing, whilst blackbirds squawked their danger signals. I'm glad I'm not a small bird.