The Red nut bag phenomenon. (Siskins in the UK) (3 Viewers)

[Richard Ford]

My mother who lives nearby had had some Siskins in the trees near her garden in recent weeks but not on the feeders. I suggested a red nut bag may bring them down into the garden, she purchased one and within 10 minutes a Siskin had visited it.
In my Garden we have sturdier metal feeders since the Squirrel ripped open the Red mesh one, we expect Siskins visiting our garden around Christmas but had as yet had none, last year by early spring numbers were up in the twenties.

To test the nut bag theory I put up a red mesh bag two days ago, it was less then 24 hours before the first Siskin arrived and there were two present this morning, they don’t feed exclusively on the nuts in the bag and will take seed from other feeders, but I am sure it was that, that attracted them to my feeding station in the first instance.

The Siskin season is upon us, give it a try if you would like these little beauties in your garden.

All the best

Richard

PS: For anyone not sure what i mean, here is a picture from last year.

 

[peteh]

I will have a go, not that Ive ever had Siskin in my garden. But anything that might tempt them here is worth the effort in my book

(Just hope the greedy guts Jackdaws don't see it though.)

 

[Elizabeth Bigg]

We usually have one or two siskins in the colder weather, but in the absence of a red mesh bag, they have fed on the metal mesh feeder. I can find a squirrrel proof place to hang a red bag (very necessary - our squirrels would tear it to pieces in no time at all), but I am a bit concerned at something I read on an RSPB site:

Fat balls and other fat-based food bars are widely available, and are excellent winter food. If they are sold in nylon mesh bags, always remove the bag before putting the fat ball out - the soft mesh can trap and injure birds.

Would these be the same sort of bags as those used for peanuts? Has anyone had a problem like this?

 

[Andrew]

Still waiting for mine to arrive. Last year I knew of the red thing and watched mine and they had no preferrence at all. I know this as I have no red feeders!!!

 

[Jane Turner]

I've heard of Siskins coming down onto a busy high street to feed on red bags hanging outside a pet shop.... they are definately conditioned to the visual signal

 

[Bluetail]

Any theories as to why? I've always wondered.

Jason

 

[Elizabeth Bigg]

I've heard of Siskins coming down onto a busy high street to feed on red bags hanging outside a pet shop.... they are definately conditioned to the visual signal

Were these the only colour available, or did they choose red from several different colours?

 

[Bluetail]

Elizabeth, Siskins' predilection for red nut bags has been known for many years, but I've never seen any explanation for it.

Jason

 

[seb_seb]

Someone told me the bags looke like Alder cones........

 

[Michael Frankis]

Someone told me the bags looke like Alder cones........

Except they don't, not even remotely!!

Michael

 

[seb_seb]

Ok then, weve established that the Siskins must be a racist species showing discrimination to everything but red feeders.

 

[Mike D]

I still don't have any Siskin or Redpolls in the nearby carr, but I'll give the red feeder a try, just in case any turn up.
Thanks for the tip.

 

[alcedo.atthis]

Red bags, why not Yellow or even Blue!!

Having a flock of circa 60 birds at present, I thought that I would try something different, getting away from the "Red Bag" for Siskins idea. I made up some Blue and Yellow, and along with the Red ones, waited to see what happened. Within 2 minutes of putting these up, the birds were on both Yellow and Blue. The first day, they seemed to prefer the Red, but would feed at the Yellow quite often, and the Blue, just now and again. By day 3, they seem to now prefer the yellow, and are leaving the Red and Blue, but for sporadic visits. I have a total of 16 hanging feeders at present, but may add more as the Siskin numbers grow. The most we have had was in end of March begining of April 1993. We had over 800 birds, Siskins, that is, for about a fortnight. Weather permitting, on the 10th April, we caught and rung 158 new birds in less than 1 hour. We had to drop the mist nets as we could hardly handle the birds we were catching for ringing. If we had better weather the previous weekend, we would have caught 3 times as many. I wonder what the Yellow looks like in the wild?

Malky @ Westhill
If I have done it correctly, there should be 3 photos attached.

 

[Gill Osborne]

So THAT'S where all the Siskins have gone......I haven't had one for, believe it or not, nearly two YEARS!!! They are probably out there but I'm just missing them...or they see me coming and hide!!! Very frustrating as they are an absolutely delightful bird!

GILL XXX

 

[songbird6666]

So THAT'S where all the Siskins have gone......I haven't had one for, believe it or not, nearly two YEARS!!! They are probably out there but I'm just missing them...or they see me coming and hide!!! Very frustrating as they are an absolutely delightful bird!

GILL XXX

:C I'm very fed up too, this is my third winter here, and I have all sorts of peanuts and other feeders in four different places in the garden, and have always had a few pairs of siskins come. So far none, in fact mine were here in the summer too, why have they abandoned me?

 

[Andrew]

Hooray, my Siskins are back. Saw three for the first time yesterday, two males and one female.

 

[Steve Round]

experiment

I have just been out and bought a large red nut feeder and hung it out literally 2 minutes ago, I have not had any Siskins at my feeders yet this winter although I have seen up to eight of them in the top of the trees with a flock of Goldfinches which have also not been down to my feeders.
There are Siskins in the top of the oak trees as I type so I will now go and keep watch and reply when and if they come down.

Steve

 

[Steve Round]

I will now go and keep watch and reply when and if they come down.

No Siskins have come down yet, I had one Goldfinch down on the niger seed - thats a first, and a promising sign.

Steve.

 

[Elizabeth Bigg]

I regularly have 6 to 8 goldfinches on the two niger feeders - there were eleven the other day - some of them clearing up the spillage on the ground. No siskins yet - they usually go on the peanut feeders, but maybe I'll get more than the usual two if I get a red net bag - it's on the shopping list.

 

[Nina P]

I had attempted to put red nut bags out for 8 yes eight years, never had so much as a sniff of Siskins, until last year, when I gave up on red nut bags aas the nuts were spread all over the ground on a multiple of times a day,, I got so fed up I decided that if siskins were never going to visit then so -be- it.... and on the day I gave up what happened was, on the bird table outside the PC window a flock of yellow birds arrived, only more greenfinches, but they looked a bit different, so a bit harder look I thought they were Goldfinches? horay don't get them to table either, but then I noticed not red but black caps on them? siskins? Yes SIskins!"!" At last, and just before a bitter NE wind! I got them again late summer in the back garden, on the nut feeder under the arch, but they've gone again! I reckon they only come in to feed when the weather affewcts natural feeding habits and that is when they appear on the feeding stations. I am more inclined to think that red is a stimuli but not totally so, as they have appeared in my garden only when bitter weather drives them in, and the tables are a russet coloured wood with green roof, that is all I can say on observed attitudes! I do hope you all get to see them, My sister has just started watching birds and was astounded to find a Blackcap on her feeders this morning, but I wouldn't be very surprised as her area is less of a frost pocket and the habitat is right, even if early as it is still extremely mild I don't think they all migrate, so I'm hoping to catch up with her soon to verify, I'd love to see one of them too!