Excuse the blurry image!
This is a goldfinch eating ragwort seeds.
The plants have been host to up to 10 birds at a time- bluetits, great tits, sparrows and even a very optimistic blackbird. They are just all very camera-shy!
The flowers are popular with all sorts of insects, from bees to butterflies to hoverflies- so they’ll also have been helping to feed our local insectivore birds, including swifts, swallows and martens.
Plus, as mentioned in previous posts, ragwort is the only plant that cinnabar moth caterpillars can eat.
So, just by leaving some “weeds” alone, you can feed loads of local wildlife for free!