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Post by Cherry on Jan 28, 2012 9:56:15 GMT
They came back today Louise. I am very pleased. One goldfinch is a lot larger than the other two. As the feeder only takes two birds at a time, the third one has to "buzz" the two feeding. It is quite a spectacle. You are so lucky Cherry, I put out a niger feeder last year and saw a Goldfinch once. I've tried again this year but no sightings so far and the feeder is still full  This is proving that the food has to fit the type of bird. It took a while for the goldfinch (one to start, remember)_found there was a constant supply of niger seed. |
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Post by cowslip on Jan 28, 2012 11:33:55 GMT
I put out niger seeds and also grow teasels in my garden as, according to wildlife literature, this is supposed to attract them. However, in my garden, I have a good population of goldfinches and they never go near them but, instead, they always are on the feeders which contain sunflower hearts.
Lately, I have noticed the robin feeding on the niger seed and the bluetits often are on the teasels.
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Jan 28, 2012 13:19:11 GMT
The mole man said we should leave the dead moles for the owls, but we found they did not touch them and they stank more when I had to get rid of them. I would seriously expect that the owls only wanted them when they had caught them fresh. Some birds of prey will only take live food, perhaps your owls are one of these. |
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Post by peony on Jan 28, 2012 14:00:31 GMT
I put out niger seeds and also grow teasels in my garden as, according to wildlife literature, this is supposed to attract them. However, in my garden, I have a good population of goldfinches and they never go near them but, instead, they always are on the feeders which contain sunflower hearts.Lately, I have noticed the robin feeding on the niger seed and the bluetits often are on the teasels. That's interesting Cowslip, I use black sunflower seed in my feeders, but I'll try sunflower hearts in one and see if it attracts any goldfinches  |
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Post by Louise on Jan 28, 2012 14:17:24 GMT
It will, Peony, sunflower hearts are the universal feed for clingers - however, the ground feeders will have some if it's amongst their preferred mix.
Cherry, being food and feeder specific is the only way to attract the species you want.
Being non-specific very rarely works.
People often lament the lack of certain birds and it's almost always because they're putting out 'bird seed' on a bird table and this just won't do it !
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Post by Cherry on Jan 28, 2012 15:40:50 GMT
I don't use the bird table any more. The ground feeders fly into the dog kennel (for birds in winter) and they have their food on the concrete slabs. Easy to clean and the birds feel safe. Even the blackbirds and collared doves use the slabs for their food.
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Post by Louise on Jan 28, 2012 16:24:38 GMT
With no cats and hawks able to get them the birds probably feel quite safe in there, Cherry.
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Post by SueA on Jan 28, 2012 18:54:46 GMT
You are so lucky Cherry, I put out a niger feeder last year and saw a Goldfinch once. I've tried again this year but no sightings so far and the feeder is still full I’ve tried for years with Niger seed feeders but always end up throwing it away. I now mix it in with the other seed just in case a Goldfinch comes along. There are half a dozen Goldfinches in the garden, they very rarely come near the feeders and then never feed. Same here W.F. I bought a special niger feeder & the seed years ago as we do get the odd pair of goldfinches in the garden but they never went anywhere near them & the seed just kept going mouldy. They just prefer to pop in & out of the conifers, trees & shrubs in our garden. |
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Post by Louise on Jan 28, 2012 18:59:52 GMT
Talking of them, i saw some very competetively priced bird bits and bobs on Amazon earlier, i made up an order which included seed feeders and niger feeders at incredibly low prices ;D
Niger seed and dried mealworms too at mega low prices ;D
Also, Sue, there were those covered, square, mesh-y feeders too, at £7 - they retail at over £14.
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Post by Cherry on Jan 28, 2012 19:47:59 GMT
WF and Sue. Your goldfinches must be happy with what they get in the wild. I don't know anything about them, I am just thinking aloud.
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Jan 31, 2012 14:59:04 GMT
I think you are right Cherry. Today I looked out of the window and there wasn't a single bird on the feeders, for this garden it is unheard of, there are always a couple of dozen birds flitting between the shrubs and the feeders, not to mention the Blackbirds, robins and chaffinches who I'm sure have taken up residence under the feeders, even the field voles were conspicuous by their absence. Then the reason became clear, tucked at the bottom of a shrub, beside the wall was a Sparrow hawk.   It sat there for well over an hour waiting for one of the birds to make an appearance. Unfortunately for it, the dog needed walking, as soon as I opened the door it flew off. |
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Post by cowslip on Jan 31, 2012 15:35:59 GMT
Good picture WF. One of these flew into my garden on Sunday when I was doing the RSPB big bird watch. It was the sort of big bird I did not want!
Actually it is a regular visitor and is often seen perched above the compost bins where mice are also often seen, which they also eat, so yours will probably be after the field voles as well.
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Post by peony on Jan 31, 2012 15:51:45 GMT
Great pictures of the Sparrowhawk WF |
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Post by wildlifefriendly on Jan 31, 2012 16:23:36 GMT
Good picture WF. One of these flew into my garden on Sunday when I was doing the RSPB big bird watch. It was the sort of big bird I did not want! Actually it is a regular visitor and is often seen perched above the compost bins where mice are also often seen, which they also eat, so yours will probably be after the field voles as well. We thought it was after the voles because it was sat so low down, it was only a foot off the ground. We had a laugh about the big garden bird watch, if we had been doing it today we would only have had to report one bird ;D I only see it in the garden a few times a year, I don't think it is a regular visitor. |
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Post by Cherry on Jan 31, 2012 16:48:34 GMT
That shot is unbelievable. That would be a prizewinning photograph somewhere. What about your show?
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