Today I saw a small flock of goldfinches feeding on the teasel seed heads in the wild patch and then the woodland area. I would have taken a picture had I had my phone to hand. There seem to be many teasel seedlings in the woodland so I need to keep some to feed the birds. I am also in the process of identifying the wild flowers we have in the woodland area so that I can preserve them when I establish a path and eradicate some of the stinging nettles which seem to be so prolific.
Goldfinches
12 Wednesday Nov 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
easterneden 
Hi Juliet,
The collective noun for a flock of finches is a “charm”, very apt methinks. If you can track down some niger seed, put it in a niger seed feeder, and plant it outside your kitchen window you will have your goldfinches visiting all winter.
Please leave some stinging nettles for the butterflies, particularly for the red admirals to lay their eggs on.
Love from Aunty Cordy xx
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I will certainly leave some stinging nettles- indeed getting rid of them all would be a life’s work! Step-son Jonathan has a complete fear and loathing of them, so I am thinking that I will leave those which are furthest from the path I hope to make through the woodland area otherwise we shall never tempt him beyond the patio 🙂
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Stinging nettles are very easy to pull out if the ground is wet. If young Jonathan was armed to the teeth in protective clothing could he be tempted into helping you to get rid of them so that they never come back again!. If you have your compost bins at the bottom of the garden you will find your stinging nettles will grow very well close by. You can turn young stinging nettle leaves into a rather tasty soup, that’s if you like spinach, the flavour is similar.
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I made nettle soup once . It said to use 1/2 lb of nettle leaves -which turned out to be an awful lot !! And then the only person who really liked it was a just weaned Baby Lois !
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