I posted this on last years BBC Springwatch.
Which species of bird are attracted to your Red Hot Pokers?
So far this year I've had House Sparrows and a solitary visit from a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.
Anyone care to add to the list?
Birds and Red Hot Pokers!
That's interesting Prophetfive, I hadn't thought of them as attractive to birds. I'll have to get some more. The best plants for birds in my garden in winter are the evening primrose seed pods with mainly goldfinches and red poll. At the moment it is the Mahonia x Media Charity which is covered in berries and feeding lots of blackbirds and a mistle thrush. In winter when it has its flowers the bluetits like it, and I saw a female black cap a few times- don't know whether they can get nectar or whether they are just eating the petals.
Hello Patbarr,
Yes, Evening Primrose seed does seem popular with finches.
I'm still a little confused as to exactly what the birds are removing from Red Hot Pokers.
I thought it was small insects, but, couldn't see any when I looked. If it's nectar, then do our birds visit other flowers for the same purpose? I believe Pokers are pollinated by Sunbirds, in their native habitat, so, have our birds evolved to take nectar exclusively from this plant?
Over to you, Mr. Oddie!