On 2013-08-21 19:56:23 +0100, Jake said:

On Wed, 21 Aug 2013 19:01:04 +0100, "Bertie Doe"
wrote:



Last month we had a couple of rare visitors - a pair of bullfinches. Mostly
the male only showed up and he would only stay for 5 or 10 minutes.

His first choice of food was whole black sunflower seeds, with just an
occasional visit to the SF hearts. Maybe the coats on the BSFs keep the
inards fresher? The bullfinch has a powerful beak, which helps. However,
goldfinches prefer the hearts and will only move to the nyjer when the
hearts are finished.

It's fascinating in a way that in different parts of the country,
birds seem to like different foods. Here bull, gold, green finches all
go for the hearts. Nyger just wasn't touched. There's even a spotted
woodpecker that prefers the hearts on the table to pecking at the
peanuts in the feeder (though other woodpeckers prefer the pecking).

Food doesn't stay long enough to go "unfresh". The feeders and the
table are cleared each day. In the summer, they only get replenished
once a day (my wallet can't take more). In winter, it's at least twice
daily.

Nothing eats Niger here, apart from squirrels, perhaps. A goodish sized
row of sunflowers have been planted in the field, so I'll be interested
to see what goes for the seed.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk