On Thu, 25 May 2006 12:09:45 +0100, Sacha Hubbard wrote
(in article et):

On Thu, 25 May 2006 10:54:53 +0100, Sally Thompson wrote
(in article et):

On Wed, 24 May 2006 22:33:44 +0100, K wrote
(in article ):

snip
--
I think you informant got their finches mixed! It's gold finches that
particularly like nyger seed (it's a thistle type thingy, so close to
their other favourite of teasel).

Greenfinches are happy on a sunflower seed based mix.

Though strangely enough although goldfinches used to eat from our nyger
seed
feeders at a previous house, here they only go for the seeds on the plant,
and the blue tits are feasting on the nyger seed. Nowt so contrary as
birds.



Perhaps that's got something to do with the different foods available to them

in different places. Maybe they need to supplement their diet with e.g.
niger seed in one location but not in another?

Yes, I put it down to the fact that there is plenty of "natural" food for the
goldfinches here, where we are pretty lushly rural, whereas in our previous
existence we were in a far more suburban environment.



--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
bed and breakfast near Ludlow: http://www.stonybrook-ludlow.co.uk
Burne-Jones/William Morris window in Shropshire church:
http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk