• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Hello from the North East (1 Viewer)

seaburn1

seaburn1

Member
Hi everybody

I'm hoping to pick up lots of info on this wonderful site, everybody seems so friendly.

I've been feeding and watching the garden birds for a few years now but have a question for you. Can someone please tell me why, after going to the expense of buying a nyjer feeder\seed last year, the goldfinches still insist on using it just to queue up for the sunflower hearts?

Happy birding
 
Seaburn1, on behalf of admin and all the moderators, welcome to Bird Forum.

I'm not sure about your observation - our Goldfinches mainly eat the niger seed, and the 40 or so House Sparrows devour the sunflower hearts. Occasionally a Goldfinch will be seen on the sunflower feeder. Then they have to move quickly when the sparrows descend!
 
Hi Seaburn. Welcome to Birdforum. Like you our Goldfinches do not go near the Nyger feed but they can't get enough of the sunflower hearts.
 
Regional Preferences?

That's interesting. The sparrows here prefer the mixed seed, millet or the fatballs, when the starlings allow! The sunflower hearts are loved by all but particularly the goldfinches and greenfinches who can get quite agressive in guarding their perches.



digi-birder said:
Seaburn1, on behalf of admin and all the moderators, welcome to Bird Forum.

I'm not sure about your observation - our Goldfinches mainly eat the niger seed, and the 40 or so House Sparrows devour the sunflower hearts. Occasionally a Goldfinch will be seen on the sunflower feeder. Then they have to move quickly when the sparrows descend!
Click to expand...
 
Thanks John, it's nice to know I'm not the only one.

I'd love to get the Siskins or Redpolls that Pete mentions but I've never seen any round here. Never mind they may turn up one day - since last year I've had a woodpecker dropping by for peanuts and that was the first I've seen in the area so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Jackie
 
Hi,Jackie,welcome to BF.Birds are contrary creatures.One day they will eat certain foods and the next day ignore it.Akin to cats in that respect!!
 
seaburn1 said:
Hi everybody

I'm hoping to pick up lots of info on this wonderful site, everybody seems so friendly.

I've been feeding and watching the garden birds for a few years now but have a question for you. Can someone please tell me why, after going to the expense of buying a nyjer feeder\seed last year, the goldfinches still insist on using it just to queue up for the sunflower hearts?

Happy birding
Click to expand...

Hello there from Weedon, Northants.

I, too, put out a nyger feeder last year which the Goldfinches soon took to, sometimes as many as 15 waiting to feed. They soon decided that the sunflower hearts were good to eat as well, previously we'd only had a couple of Goldies in on the hearts, and then not for long. Well, the nyger was being totally ignored so at the start of the summer I took the feeder down, kept the sunflowers going and guess what, no Goldies. The other day we were preparing to go away for a few days so put the nyger out again and within minutes the Goldies were back and yes, using the feeder as a queue for the sunflowers. At the moment only about 4 at a time, but no doubt there'll be more as autumn and winter progress. No help with your problem, but I've got it too!

Over to you.
 
Hi Seaburn, from your name i guess you are not to far from Sunderland, if your are near the coast this is the time of year when birds are on the move so a chance for siskin and redpoll to turn up i live 7 mile inland but have seen siskin though as yet no redpoll in my garden.

Cuddy
 
Hi Jackie,

Welcome aboard :t:

We too get good numbers of Goldfinches in the garden. Our Goldies use both the niger and sunflowers hearts but certainly prefer the hearts as do most other species including the Sparrows and Greendfinches. The Tits and Starlings prefer the fatballs and the Tits the peanuts.
 
Ian_C said:
Hello there from Weedon, Northants.

I, too, put out a nyger feeder last year which the Goldfinches soon took to, sometimes as many as 15 waiting to feed. They soon decided that the sunflower hearts were good to eat as well, previously we'd only had a couple of Goldies in on the hearts, and then not for long. Well, the nyger was being totally ignored so at the start of the summer I took the feeder down, kept the sunflowers going and guess what, no Goldies. The other day we were preparing to go away for a few days so put the nyger out again and within minutes the Goldies were back and yes, using the feeder as a queue for the sunflowers. At the moment only about 4 at a time, but no doubt there'll be more as autumn and winter progress. No help with your problem, but I've got it too!

Over to you.
Click to expand...

welcome to BF Ian.
 
Well I have just looked out the computer room window and saw about 20 Goldies stood squabbling over the Sunflower hearts and nyjer seed. I do have 5 containers with the SH in though (even our resident Robin is having his share of these).
At least with the hearts they all get cleared up, what has dropped from their beaks is soon cleared up by the blackbirds,collared doves and pigeons that visit. Whereas the nyjer leaves all the mess that few others eat.

Anyway I had better get outside pronto and top all the feeders up.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 20 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

B
Hello!
Replies
11
Views
501
Fritz73
Fritz73
W
Hello from a newbie
Replies
11
Views
396
Kits
Kits
D
Greetings from SW France
Replies
7
Views
448
delia todd
delia todd
O
Black Oil Sunflower Seed Hulls
Replies
2
Views
432
Oriane
O
R
Greetings from the Goldfinches, the state bird of New Jersey!
Replies
7
Views
1K
robrecht
R

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top