Bullfinch - Finchus Adorables

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Finchus Adorables

Sure, its name isn't Finchus Adorablus, but shouldn't it be? I mean Pyrrhula Pyrrhula - one can only assume it either came from Greek for fire, which also reminds me of the word, pyrrhic, of course. Which puts one in the mind of great but self-defeating feats, perhaps of Hannibalian stature, and perhaps the Bullfinch is capable of all these possibilities, thus living up to its rather overblown Linean epithet, but one look at a Bullfinch and you will know that this is pure marketing. Fire is, after all, not bright pink. Furthermore, it is the tootest, darlingest ball of feathers which has ever alighted on a branch (apart from the Long-tailed Tit), and really its name should be Greek for something much less fearsome and more squeal inducing.

Anyhow, I am now reading a page each morning from Anthony's book about the birds, while I have breakfast. I sort of know the bird I want to draw today, and I read this over breakfast with my oranges and oatcakes. (Yes, Christmas is so over.) This is when I discovered that Bullfinches were the scourge of orchards because they ate the juicy fruit and flower buds of trees, resulting in them, you won't believe this, being considered a pest species. Yes, Bullfinches are the cockroaches of Co Armagh. And because of this, Bullfinches are regarded as enemies to farmers. Imagine the toot Bullfinch! Anyhow, perhaps this is where its fearsome name comes from. A bellowing (this is their collective noun, again given by someone I think who conflated both animala) of Bullfinches would probably be as destructive as a wildfire in orchard.

I was also delighted to learn that Bullfinches favour the Ash, which was where I saw them two days ago. They are also sedentary - they do not move five miles from where they have hatched - although my first Bullfinch sighted was a Russian Bullfinch. This was at my previous place of work - Belvoir Park Forest. Again, this was spotted by Anthony.

I mean I have no idea how to tell birds where birds come from, but is apparently possible, if the higher initiates of birding are to be believed. It is not like they have different accents - actually they do, but that's a different blog. I was speaking to him about some work related issue, when suddenly I noticed he was no longer paying attention to me. This would happen quite frequently in the RSPB when you were talking to the birders. You'd be in mid sentence about something as important as BRAND CHANGE and suddenly you'd notice that all attention has moved from what you may have been saying and is entirely focused on the window behind you. Anyhow, being used to this, I turned to look (instead of being offended and saying, are you listening to me?) and there, outside the window, were Bullfinches. They are Russian Bullfinches, according to Anthony, barely able to contain his excitement. I cannot AT ALL remember how he decided they came from Russia, although I am pretty sure there was a 35 minute explanation when I asked the question. In fact, sometimes, I am pretty sure that these wardens just made things up (although, I have to stress Anthony would NEVER make things up) to impress people around them. e.g. see the Puffin there, it has been coming to this very spot now for the past ten years, this is its second mate and it has fledged one chick a year (all plausible... but then they may also continue).... It has also written a three part symphony and invented a new way to poach pears, which would be less credible (but cos you aint no expert, you not gonna question them.) All of this would be delivered with a very serious voice, the same sort of voice that perhaps Hamlet may deliver one of his many tiresome and self-involved soliloquies. Ooooooo, you are soooo clever I would gasp in amazement, which I think was the right response to the eruditude.

I'd say I'd be a much harder customer this time round should I ever relive the RSPB segment of my life again. (Not that I would relive the RSPB again, but that's a different story too.)

So, by way of looong digression, the Bullfinches I saw at my mom's may well be residential, which would be so awesome.

I am now going to head into the Christian Community for the Christmas course. I love going to these services, they help to re-centre me. And Ben, the priest, is deeply conscious of every word he says. After that is a short talk about Christmas. They take their Christmas very serious in the Christian Community and seem utterly immune to Mariah Carey and overgifting, which is such a relief. Ironically going there is entering a commercial Christmas free zone. Anyhow, then after I am going to take Ma and Pa for a short trip to the shops and I'm going to buy birdseed. After that I will refill the feeders and then come back and do the same here. I cannot tell you what a totally gorgeous day this is. It is just clear winter light filling the entire sky. Great light to paint a Bullfinch by, which will happen after the refilling. Then a biiig laundry day.