Last week a new bird turned up in the garden. It’s the 31st different bird species I’ve seen in the garden, a Bullfinch.
It was a single bird perched on the feeder table for a few moments, although not feeding and it didn’t seem interest in the actual feeders. The male, which is the bird I saw, is easily distinguishable with a very red body and a black head. It’s about the size of a chaffinch, perhaps a bit rounder and plumper.
It’s actually the first bullfinch I think I’ve ever seen anywhere with my own eyes. Which is really quite surprising as they are widespread all year round throughout the UK and France. (In the range map below purple is the area where they are permanently resident).
They are shy and quite sensitive of humans, so not really very regular garden visitors. However they’re around so keep looking.
Another bird which is again around, but not by any means new, is the swift. They’re back circling overhead after their long migration from Africa and for the record my first swift sighting of this year was the 28th April.
I’ve previously done a couple of posts on these super birds which can be found on this links below.
https://chatounatureblog.com/2021/04/25/look-up-for-swifts/
https://chatounatureblog.com/2022/05/08/the-swifts-are-back/
My swift box is still up, it’s still used every night as a roost by a Great Tit, but as ever I’m hoping, I must say more hope than expectation, that it might be used as a nest site by a swift pair. You really never know.
Chatou Nature Blog 
That’s a good sighting, James. Although, as you say, they are widespread, they can be hard to see and are not really ‘garden birds’. They do like biting off the buds of fruit trees, I think, so perhaps your neighbours will have a disappointing apple or pear harvest this year!
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