Collared Doves (1 Viewer)

[vanellus]

Interested to watch Collared Doves that are regulars to our garden. They would normally be ground feeders but ours have an alternative. We have two feeders with trays hanging beneath to catch the bits dropped. The Doves land on these and reach into the feeders.

They have a liking for Black Sunflower seeds and consume them husk and all. Next winter I am going to try husk free sunflower hearts to see if I can get Siskins and Goldfinches. I get Goldfinches very occasionally and have had two visits from Siskins this winter (the first in 19 years!).

I have stopped feeding peanuts as they are totally ignored when alternatives are available. Even the Blue Tits prefer the wild bird mix from Pets at Home and ignore Peanuts.

 

[derekg]

I've experienced the same with peanuts with only the odd Blue Tit being interested in them. I now only have Black Sunflower seed and get Greenfinch, Blue and Great Tit feeding on these as well as the odd Blackbird feeding on them from the ground.

Have you tried nyjer seed for the Goldfinch. I keep meaning to get some for our local population but as usual when I'm in the local petshop I forget to pick some up!

Derek

 

[Clive A]

Have you tried nyjer seed for the Goldfinch.
Derek

Siskins love it too.

 

[vanellus]

Siskins love it too.

Haven't tried niger. Reading comments from others, it seems that husk free seed is just as successful with Siskins and Goldfinches; is less expensive than Niger and is attractive to a wider range of birds.

My plan is to continue with mixed seed and black sunflower through the summer (we get more Greenfinches in the summer - they come and feed as a family). I want to try one feeder each of mixed, husk free and balck sunflower next winter and see whether providing the husk free means that it goes like wildfire and the other stuff is ignored, or whether all the three feeders will do good trade attracting a different balance of species.

I also have fat balls out as these are liked by Robins and Dunnocks (and House Sparrows and Starlings, but they seem to eat anything!).

 

[barnstormer]

I have the same problem with peanuts as everyone else and find all birds go nuts for sunflower hearts and goldfinch and siskins also hitting the niger seed.I aaslo put out a bit of mixed seed and some soaked dry fruit for the groundfeeders.