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Post by rowanberry on Oct 12, 2016 18:51:48 GMT
I was surprised yesterday to see several goldfinches in the caged feeder where I put sunflower hearts...up until now they've stuck to the nyjer seed feeder at the bottom of the garden, and left this one to the sparrows. I'm glad that they've found this one, too.  ( Extremely bad photos...sorry, but the camera batteries were going!   Goldfinches Oct 2016 by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr  Goldfinches 2 by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr |
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Post by Tringa on Oct 19, 2016 21:44:01 GMT
I'm sure there is a study waiting to be done on goldfinches and nyjer seed. I know from here and from years back on WAB the goldfinches in some places really go for nyjer seed - just like all the feeding guides say. In other places, our garden for example, they will eat nyjer seed but it comes way below sunflower hearts. I've seen goldfinches using the top of an unoccupied feeder full of nyjer seed as a staging post to get to the feeder with the sunflower hearts and at times the nyjer seed has rotted in the feeder. Sunflower hearts never get a chance to go mouldy; admittedly almost every bird in the garden likes them, but when the goldfinches arrive the level drops very quickly. As your goldfinches have found the sunflower hearts you can now have the double joy of a closer view and having to refill another feeder more quickly Dave |
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Post by rowanberry on Oct 23, 2016 20:02:50 GMT
I'm sure there is a study waiting to be done on goldfinches and nyjer seed. I know from here and from years back on WAB the goldfinches in some places really go for nyjer seed - just like all the feeding guides say. In other places, our garden for example, they will eat nyjer seed but it comes way below sunflower hearts. I've seen goldfinches using the top of an unoccupied feeder full of nyjer seed as a staging post to get to the feeder with the sunflower hearts and at times the nyjer seed has rotted in the feeder. Sunflower hearts never get a chance to go mouldy; admittedly almost every bird in the garden likes them, but when the goldfinches arrive the level drops very quickly. As your goldfinches have found the sunflower hearts you can now have the double joy of a closer view and having to refill another feeder more quickly Dave The sparrows seem to hoover up most of the sunflower seeds here before the goldfinches get much of a chance, so for now they seem happy with the nyjer seed...so much so I might need to get them another feeder. There were six of them on it yesterday! That's the most I've ever seen at once...I wonder if they are the fledglings (finchlings?) of the original pair we had back during the summer?  Six Finches by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr |
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Post by Tringa on Oct 23, 2016 20:24:08 GMT
I refilled our feeder yesterday and within 10 minutes the goldfinches had arrived. The numbers we see vary. Even when there is only one on the feeder there are usually many more in the nearby trees and almost always they are the most numerous birds in the garden. I think the most we have seen is about 15 on or around the feeder. I do not agree with caging birds but I can understand why in the past some wanted to keep them in cages - they are delightful birds.
I like 'finchlings'. The goldfinches here appeared to have had two broods this year and brought both groups to the feeders during the summer.
Dave
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