Niger seed update (1 Viewer)

[oldbird]

it might sound like a lie but a couple years ago i put up a thisel feeder it sat thear till the seed went bad i seen a thisel sock at lowes it was cheap so i thout id try it withen a day it was coverd with finches needles to say i trased the tube feeder so if ur using a tube try a sock it cant hert and i have no idea how many little finches i have at times u cant even see the sock

 

[andyb]

I've just put niger seed out for the first time today. I've got one goldfinch amongst a flock of greenfinch and house sparrows feeding on sunflower kernels over the last few days. Not sure I want to invest in a specialist feeder so I've made it out of a plastic milk bottle and a coat hanger! Waiting to see now if my goldfinch discovers it and tells its mates

andyb

 

[Janie]

I have a thistle sock and it's a big hit. I've had to fill it every 2 or 3 days. When it gets low there are some fights over it and a waiting line. The juncos hang out underneath waiting for anything that drops.

 

[paula]

Janie, have you a picture of this 'Thistle Sock'? It has been mentioned once or twice and sounds very good to me. I do not think that you can get them in the UK but we could put out a major order to get them in the USA.
I too hung up a specialised niger seed feeder and never had a bird on it! Although there are goldfinches on my patch, I rarely see them on the feeders. Hopefully all my planting of native seed-bearing plants is paying off and the finches prefer their natural food as I still see them on the real thistle heads.

 

[vicky@glos]

Can anyone show me what type of feeder you all have for the niger seed.
I have greenfinch, goldfinch and chaffinch but not sure which feeder to put it in.
Please describe it or attach a photo with your post.

I have had it on my birdtable - one 1 or 2 chaffinches have found it.
I have put some out in a tray and still onle a few chaffinches have found it. I have a new 4 port hole feeder and as soon as I mixed some seed with it and put it in this feeder I had 2 goldfinches and a few greenfinch.

I have been here 5 years and only just found 1 place that sold this seed but the woman in the shop said that she does not know if they will ever get any more.

I have the birds here but wish to feed them proberly.

Vicky@glos

 

[seb_seb]

birds regular in garden: dunnock, wren,wood pigeon,blackbird,chaffinch,wren,robin,longtailed tit,blue tit great tit and coal tit, sparrowhawk,goldcrest
birds that fly over but never come in:starling,house sparrow,collared dove and greenfinch
one offs:tree sparrow,gs woodpecker,blackcap,redwing and zebra finch(escape)

 

[Blackbird]

I've put up a Niger feeder about a week ago but the Goldfinches seem to prefer the peanuts.

 

[Andrew]

I also put up a niger seed feeder and it hasn't been touched. It was to keep the Goldfinches here for the summer, never mind as they prefer the peanuts and have stayed for three weeks now! I am a happy man.

 

[bcurrie]

Andrew,

Do the Goldfinches eat the shelled peanuts, or do you put out the raw unshelled? I wouldn't think they would go for the shelled, but who knows? (Well, you do, that's why I am asking)

 

[Andrew]

I have shelled peanuts (no shells) in a tube cage feeder and a block of peanuts bonded together somehow and put in a block cage. They like these despite the niger seed feeder being only a foot away!

It doesn't make sense to say peanuts without shells are shelled and vice versa! What do you think of this irrational use of words?

 

[paula]

Andrew, do not despair.......I have a special nyger feeder and this is the first time in 2 years that it is actually being used by several pairs of nesting goldfinches. They seem to like being in the thick of things with the rowdy greenfinches on the giant feeder next to them.

 

[Andrew]

Mine do come at the same time as the pair of Greenfinches sometimes as well.