For the past few weeks, house finches afflicted with suspected cases of Conjunctivitis have been visiting our feeders. This may be hard to spot with the naked eye, especially in the early stages, but it becomes quite visible through binoculars. Strangely, all the affected birds so far have been females and the affected eye tended to be the left. Here is what we can do if house finches visit our gardens and decks: • Clean our birdfeeders twice a week then disinfect with a dilute bleach solution for a minimum of 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Alternatively, remove the feeders altogether. • Keep the ground around feeders as free of decomposing seeds as possible. • Try to catch the sick bird and place it in a box with a lid. If you live in Toronto, ask the Toronto Wildlife Centre to call you, using TWC’s Request for Assistance form. TWC may be able to help the bird recover. Catching the affected bird may prove difficult, however. I haven't had any success yet (sigh).