I'm new to the site and have been enjoying everyone's postings and pictures.
I live near to Loch Lomond and this winter I have definately collected the following visitors: Coal Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Chaffinches, Green Finch (1), pigeons, blackbirds, mistle thrush, magpies, starlings, sparrows and robins and a v. rotund squirrel.
I have also had fleeting glances of what I think was a dunnock, a willow tit and a long-tailed tit (last year I had around ten of these but they haven't come back).
I would love to attract a goldfinch but I think I may be too far west for them, I've tried nyger seed but nothing ever came and my sisken and woodpecker from last year have come back :(
Is there much I can do to try and get these birds back to my garden or is it maintly pot luck?
Make me a coffee and put me in front of the kitchen window!
Hi EmmaJ
Welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy it here - I'm sure you will !
Lucky you living near Loch Lomond, what a lovely place.
All you can do with your birds is try and try again - we've all suffered on here of birds that do visit some gardens and not others, don't take it personally ( :-) i't's seems luck of the draw for many of us. For Goldfinches see Buzzard as he seems to have the monopoly of that species! LOL
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Hi Emma,
A warm welcome to the forum, which I am sure you will enjoy.
You already seem to have a lovely collection of regulars and occasionals. I can't get chaffinches for love nor money, but I see them in next door's tree so I know they are there. I get a lot of dunnocks, but no willow tits or long tailed tits. I struggle to get blue tits!
Kezmo is right, if you want goldfinches you must ask Buzzard, our new Good Egg, to send you some. He lives in the North East, so not that far as the crow flies. LOL.
People are finding that goldfinches prefer sunflower hearts to nyjer seed these days. It may be an idea to offer both in adjacent feeders. Buzzard also suggests they prefer to feed in groups, so feeders with lots of portholes are often a good idea. After that, it seems to be pot luck.
Good luck!
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Hello EmmaJ and welcome to the forum.
My goldfinches like sunflower kernels as well as nyger seeds.
However, I fear you are right. Goldfinches are absent from parts of west and north Scotland. Have a look at the RSPB info at this link and you will see what I mean. If they are not there there's nothing much you can do to attract them.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goldfinch/index.aspx
Never mind you live in a beautiful place and you will see birds that we don't see further south.
____________________________________________________________________
Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Thanks TeeJay, I looked at the map and I am right on the line for them. Like you said, I live a beautiful part of the world and I have plenty birds to drain my wallet at the moment!
Its so addictive, I'm teaching my 20-month-old about our little visitors and there a little window feeder so she can see them up close, she then sings a little tweeting song, bless :)
Hello EmmaJ, our LT tits returned a few days ago. Our goldfinches ignore the nyger seed and eat the sunflower hearts. If you read some of the threads you will find members who have unusual garden visitors at the moment and others who are not seeing their normal visitors. This weather is obviously not normal for our birds either.
I am sure you will enjoy this site.
Hello EmmaJ, welcome to the forum,
I waited ages to get my goldfinches, I only have 6-8 at the moment. I do have two types of nyger feeder, a large one with lots of ports and a small one. The large one is a yellow droll yankee feeder, apparently they are attracted to the yellow. I also put out a mixture of safflower seeds & sunflower hearts which they enjoy. My goldfinches are quite jumpy & like their feeders away from where the starlings/sparrows, doves/pigeons & blackbirds feed. As these are quite squabbly & boisterous.
Hope this helps.
Regards Buzzard
Nature Is Amazing - Let Us Keep It That Way
Hello Emma and welcome, it's good to have you on board.
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
LOL ^ thats Buzzard the Goldfinch hogger :-) He's very nice though despite hogging all the goldfinches.
Unknown said:The large one is a yellow droll yankee feeder, apparently they are attracted to the yellow.
I have a yellow peanut feeder, which used to hang next to the sunflower hearts and nyjer seed. I had 5 regular goldfinches, which have now all but done a bunk. I still get 2 but very occasionally. I am wondering if the reason is because I moved the yellow peanut feeder as it wasn't getting used. I know the goldies don't eat peanuts, but maybe they were attracted down from the trees because of this feeder, then noticed the food they do like hanging next to it? Now the yellow feeder has gone, so have the goldies!!! Unlikely, but you never know.