Hi, its mine and my partners first year in feeding birds and we've been feeding them since september, but as it turned colder we started supplying sunflower hearts and plenty of fat based food, we have a medium sized garden with two big trees and alot of shrubery, and attracted the following birds; blue tits, coal tits,great tits,long tailed tits, house sparrows, dunnocks, wren, starlings, doves, robin, blackbirds,song thrush, pied wagtails,black cap, red wing, green finches, chafinches, bullfinches and goldfinches and a leucistic goldfinch, also a Sparrow-hawk!!!! (and crows, doves, pidgeons, magpies and a jack daw) As we havent been feeding the birds for long i would like to know if it's normal to get 70-80 goldfinches and 20-30 chafinches along with all the other birds at one time? this happens every day. (It is fantastic to watch!)
bramble67 said:Does anyone know if they would come if i put out niger seed or is it not worth it in such an urban area.
Hi Bramble, although goldfinches like sunflower hearts, I doubt they will come initially unless they see nyjer seed. You can buy starter nyjer feeders very cheaply - only about a fiver for a cheap, small one. From what I have observed, they like to be able to approach the feeders in stages. I can see them at the very top of a tree, slowly hopping down the tree from branch to branch, always on the look out. Then one or two will come to the feeding station, which is in the open in my garden, although quite a tall one. Once they are settled and look safe, the others will follow. They also feed in groups, so the more ports you have, the more you will get. I have a large sunflower heart feeder next to the nyjer, and they use both.
Initially, I had my nyjer feeder hanging from the guttering of a shed. It was there for several months and remained untouched. I was about to abandon it, but first decided to move it to the pole feeding station out in the open. Within days I got a small group. This was in November. They disappeared for 2 weeks during the snow, but then came back and I now have 12 regulars who are with me for several hours a day. I have just ordered a goldfinch flocker with 20 ports and hope to increase my numbers.
It's always worth a try, but patience will be required methinks.
Cheers, Linda.
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All my finches like sunflower seeds and niger, I agree buy a small one and see what happens.
Hey farmer, farmer, put away the D.D.T now. Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees, please!