Amos E. Wolfe wrote:
I recently put up a bird feeder in my front garden, hoping to see
such
things as blue tits, finches etc. Currently all I have attracted is
some rather fussy sparrows (

They land on the perches and then proceed to pick through what is
there, occasionlly pausing to eat something. They do this with such
a
vigorous flicking motion that a large amount gets spilled on the
grass below.

I would estimate that they eat 20% while 80% gets dropped. The
feeder
contains what is branded as "seed supreme" - a mixture of wheat?
grains, corn, dried peas and sunflower seeds.

Apart from starting to grow crops in my lawn from the discarded seed
is there anything I can do??

As 'sw' has suggested, try fitting a seed catcher to the feeder.
I have fitted a 12" plant pot saucer to my feeder and that has
certainly 'contained' the spillage. So what isn't eaten at the first
sitting is available for later.
My feeder hangs from a tree with open ground underneath and it is
quite surprising what germinates there. Lots of carrots - and one or
two exotics!

--
ned