Niger Seed? (1 Viewer)

Quacker

Well-known member

• Jul 4, 2004

• #1

hello everyone.

This weekend was a bit of a washout - literally, the few times we ventured out, the rain followed, very heavy too. As a result, I limited my birding to the bird table at our caravan (static - situated in Slaley Woods, nr Hexham in Northumberland)

So far, I have listed 17 species from the vantage point of the caravan seat (not including the woods etc.) - However, Niger seed was purchased in a bid to attract Goldfinch, and as yet no luck. However, it was fun to see a Robin try to balance on the feeder to try Niger, but very surprising to see wonderful Siskin, and many of them. I can only presume Siskin love Niger seed as much as Goldfinch. Perhaps someone can verify this?

Regards

Steve

 

B

Bluetail

Senior Moment

• Jul 4, 2004

• #2

Can't verify, but it would stand to reason: both these species have comparatively slender bills for a finch.

I keep feeling I ought to try Niger, but my Goldies seem more than happy with the sunflower hearts.

 

S

songbird6666

Registered User

• Jul 4, 2004

• #3

Yep - I will! The Siskins here love Niger, in fact spend as much if not more time on this than they do anything else I offer. Strange really, its as if it never occurred to them to try it before the Goldfinches arrived, because I had Siskins here for the past two years, and Niger too, and it was never touched, just when I was about to give up - my Goldies arrived a few months ago, and since then, it is very popular. Greenfinches also eat it ( I have three different types of feeders with it in) and they use a circular one, like a mini version of a poultry feeder, it's metal, and I have painted it red - this is very popular, and it doesn't spill all over the floor like the ordinary seed ones. They seem to favour this one in preference to the proper Niger feeder. Maybe the colour?

PS Sorry about your weather - this weekend has been lovely here after a whole week of dreadful wind and rain!

 

Last edited: Jul 4, 2004

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Bluetail

Senior Moment

• Jul 4, 2004

• #4

You're probably right, Songbird. Siskins are well known for liking red feeders, aren't they? Heaven knows why, but they do.

 

Quacker

Well-known member

• Jul 5, 2004

• #5

Bluetail said:

You're probably right, Songbird. Siskins are well known for liking red feeders, aren't they? Heaven knows why, but they do.

Click to expand...

My niger feeder is transparent and blue-tipped, the greenfinches brought their family as did the chaffinches, it was difficult to tell whether they were "interfeeding" or fighting! - the result was lots of spilt stuff from the table for monsieur Robin et al.

It's great to compare at a few feet the size of siskin & coal tit though - better than a fleeting glance in a tree lol

 

P

pauljones

Well-known member

• Jul 6, 2004

• #6

Bluetail said:

I keep feeling I ought to try Niger, but my Goldies seem more than happy with the sunflower hearts.

Click to expand...

I have a similar situation in that the Goldies now seem happier with the general seed mix than the niger. However, until I put the Niger out I'd only had one fleeting glimpse of a Goldfinch. With the niger out, even though they eat the other seed, I typically get three or four feeding each day and on one afternoon eleven lunched outside the window!

 

Ruby

Well-known member

• Jul 6, 2004

• #7

I also saw the same thing... first Goldfinches came to the Niger, but now prefer the sunflower hearts.

Only ever had one Siskin on the feeders - and that was on the Niger...

 

moose1991

Alces alces

• Jul 20, 2004

• #8

:eat: I've had loads of Goldies visit my sunflower heart feeder.
I thought ofgiving the nyjer/niger (whatever it's called) a go and guess what? haven't seen them since.

 

John N

Well-known member

• Jul 20, 2004

• #9

"Our" Goldfinches can't get enough sunflower hearts, yet for some reason they will not eat the niger.

 

Bill@dwp

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

• Jul 20, 2004

• #10

My Goldies seem to take to both the niger and hearts. It took the several months before they bothered with the niger at all. I was told greenfinches would take the niger but mine dont seem bothered.

 

E

Elizabeth Bigg

Addicted member

• Jul 20, 2004

• #11

Last November I installed a special niger feeder, and within 2 days had 2 goldfinches visiting, and the number gradually crept up to 19 at a time. However the siskins then moved in - and by the time their number reached 72 the goldies decided to move on.

When the siskins moved off to their breeding grounds (presumably), small numbers of goldfinches returned - and now I am delighted to see juveniles as well, but they don't bother much with the niger seed, as they prefer the sunflower hearts. I just hope that the siskins will return eventually - I have about 20kg of niger feed waiting in the hall for them!

 

S

songbird6666

Registered User

• Jul 20, 2004

• #12

No sign of my goldfinches for nearly two weeks now There was one pair coming with a baby but all have disappeared now. Hope they come back soon, I miss their beautiful colours. Still got lots of siskins though, looks like ours are doing a swap Elizabeth!

 

A

Anthony Morton

Well-known member

• Jul 21, 2004

• #13

Anyone else noticed that 'niger' has become 'NYJER' in some catalogues recently?