With British finches, the period between the late shows and the commencement of breeding preparation can be pretty brief – meaning that there’s little ‘fallow’ and plenty of action. That’s how it has been for MARK JONES as winter turns to spring at his North Wales home
I SHALL begin by harking back to the beginning of “spring”. Saturday February 3 was a fine spring day. It was warm, the sun was shining, birds were singing and I witnessed birds courting while I was on a walk through the fields with Coco.
Although February is a month that falls in winter, the day was indistinguishable from a real spring day of old! Such weather certainly brings the birds on. My two cock greenfinches here started to show signs of romance quite a bit earlier than usual.
Normally, I continue to exhibit beyond the month of January, but not this year. So, my last show of the season was at Middlewich: the British Native, Mule & Hybrid Club show on January 28. It was a good show and overall it has been a positive season for those who exhibit British birds. There have been some high entries at the specialist shows across the country and it was pleasing to see the Scottish British Bird & Mule Club start up again (see show report, April 10 issue).
Aside from the high numbers, there have also been a good cross-section of winners, which has been welcomed. We’ve seen a crossbill, a hawfinch, a redpoll, a song thrush, a linnet and a greenfinch come out on top at some of the specialist shows. Long may that variation in the winners continue. It definitely creates interest among those who keep species other than the greenfinch and redpoll. It gives hope to exhibitors and confidence to judges that to choose something other will not necessarily be frowned upon.
Hybrid vigour
Another refreshing development was to see a redpoll x greenfinch hybrid take best mule or hybrid at two of the specialist shows. There have been a number of fine examples of this cross exhibited over the years, but I cannot recall one winning when judged against the canary x bullfinch and other such rarities. One of the best hybrids I ever saw was a siskin x redpoll, which apparently was bred by the late Lyn Jones and shown by Robert Pinch in South Wales. I never judged that bird, but wouldn’t have hesitated to award it best unless it came up against something quite exceptional.
On a personal level the show season gave me little reward! I had best in section at the first show – Aberystwyth – and best hardbill cock at Beaumaris CBS. The former was with a very well-shaped redpoll which is poorly coloured. The latter was with a fine goldfinch cock which accurately fits the dictionary description of a lunatic! He is fine when he settles but rarely does he do so.
I enjoyed my four judging engagements, during which I was accompanied by Craig Walker, Franny Brankin, Ewan Stevens and Peter Jackson. On no occasion was there any great difference in opinion, so everything was amicable without the need of a referee to settle any differences. The judging of the North East BB&MC show did bring a bit of criticism for Franny and myself. It came over the decision to wrong-class a number of hybrids. Our opinion was that the birds wrong-classed should have been entered in the Northern section. The decision was absolutely correct in respect of some of the birds and perhaps debatable with others.
When judging, you sometimes come across birds that are borderline. Some judges don’t notice, others do but let it go, while still others wrong-class. As a judge, in those situations you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Strictly speaking, if a bird is in the wrong class then it should be wrong-classed. I do make some exceptions. So, with novice exhibitors I would normally speak to the show manager about reclassification of a bird. That is because I want to encourage novices, who can often be unsure. Equally, I might seek the reclassification of a champion exhibitor’s bird if it has clearly been staged in error. For example, in the rush to catch up your birds you can make the mistake of putting two birds in the wrong cages, so you find a hen siskin in the cock class and a cock siskin in the hen class. That is clearly a mistake and there is no question of the exhibitor trying to fool the judge.
Unfair pressure?
In returning to the matter of the bullfinch hybrids that were wrong-classed, of course only the breeder truly knows the parentage of the offspring. Some breeders are honest about it and some are not. Therefore exhibitors need to understand the situation, and sometimes the pressure, that judges deal with when faced with such birds. I conclude on this point to say that I will only ever give an honest opinion and try not to sit on the fence. I see that Mr Brankin is exactly the same.
So my attention then switched to the breeding season. I was not in a hurry. My aim was to order my eggfood and seed for soaking by the end of February. All the breeding pairs are together in the flights, so as I write the only things that will change from now will be the diet and the introduction of fresh cover during the month of April.
I have placed together a pair of siskins, a pair of redpolls, two pairs of linnets, two pairs of goldfinches, a pair of bullfinches, a pair of bramblefinches and a pair of yellow buntings. The buntings are something that I have not tried before. They are a challenge that I look forward to. I have placed the pair in a large flight to give them the space that I believe they will need. Two other large flights are allocated to the pair of brambles and a pair of bullfinches. The bullfinches are important, as I am down to three birds in a family that I have established over a number of years.
Last autumn was unkind, as I lost the two breeding hens and one of the young 2023-bred hens as well. So I was left with a 2023 hen, her brother and her father. I expect to breed bullfinches this year and will build the family up again. It’s imperative that I do so, and hence the bullfinch pair will be given top priority. All the other pairs are important, but in 2024 not as important!
Mark Jones is a committee member of the National British Bird & Mule Club.
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