The wife is delighted by this morning's news sandwiched between distaff cabinet ministers in distress and the Oscars that Gold Finches, once a nearly endangered species have made a remarkable comeback thanks, mainly, to kindly souls with bird friendly patios and bird feeders. Our downmarket patio is mostly bird feeders, bathing facilities, anti Sparrow Hawk cover provider aka the Wood Pile; and to great effect-according to the wife, we have a large charm of Goldfinches-perhaps ten regular visitors. Serious twitchers turn up sniffy noses at this form of easy bird watching -preferring hides, climbs up cliffs in suitable clothing, powerful telescopes and a check list for excited ticking. But for those of a less fanatical dispositon the 'comfort of your home' is not only good for checking out over priced sofas, unrepeatable car insurance offers but also watching feathery things at close quarters. Twitchers watch the world-bird feeders save it.
