"kay" wrote in message
...

Christina Websell;979858 Wrote:


I stopped feeding niger seed because of the wastage. I use 50% canary
seed,
50% sunflower hearts in my seed feeders and it seems to suit all the
small
birds including goldfinches with very little wastage.


It seems that goldfinches across the country are turning to kibbled
sunflower hearts, and in may areas they prefer these to nyjer. Kibbled
sunflower hearts can be fed from a normal seed feeder, and are taken by
a range of birds, so it seems worth a change if your goldfinches like
it.

My goldfinches are a conservative lot and are ignoring the kibbled
sunflower in favour of nyjer


Blackbirds love sultanas.

But sultanas even in small quantities can cause kidney disease in cats
(and I think dogs), so are not suitable for ground feeding. OK on a
table out of easy reach of cats and dogs.

I did not know that - but I feed the sultanas on a bird table which the
blackbirds use. I do not ground feed because it encourages rats even more
than I do already by having poultry.

--
kay

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
And we think/hope
firecrests may be thinking of nesting here. Certainly, one has been seen
feeding in hedges on the nursery.
--

Sacha

Wow, lucky you. I've never seen a firecrest but I get goldcrests in my
conifers regularly. They love conifers.

Tina


When I had a couple of conifers Goldcrests were regular visitors and very
approachable as well.
I could certainly approach to about 10ft and be ignored by the birds.

Bill

On 2013-03-28 10:28:57 +0000, Martin said:

On Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:13:23 +0000, Sacha wrote:

snip

We have one container with nothing but sunflower seeds in it and the
greenfinches found it within one day. Now they and the bluetits battle
it out! The other seed containers are emptied almost every day. But the
fat balls and peanuts are virtually ignored.

The fat balls go when it is very cold. The large birds Jays, Parakeets
etc. eat the peanuts.

Yes, jays will pick up bits and pieces left around but we don't have
parakeetes!
--

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

"Bill Grey" wrote in message
...

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
And we think/hope
firecrests may be thinking of nesting here. Certainly, one has been seen
feeding in hedges on the nursery.
--

Sacha

Wow, lucky you. I've never seen a firecrest but I get goldcrests in my
conifers regularly. They love conifers.

Tina


When I had a couple of conifers Goldcrests were regular visitors and very
approachable as well.
I could certainly approach to about 10ft and be ignored by the birds.

Same here. I still have my conifers and goldcrests but alas never a
firecrest.




Bill

In article ,
says...


I stopped feeding niger seed because of the wastage. I use 50% canary seed,
50% sunflower hearts in my seed feeders and it seems to suit all the small
birds including goldfinches with very little wastage. For chaffinches I use
canary mix on a birdtable and have had 17 at once.
I also put very small grade grit out (the sort you can get for budgies) and
this is also popular.
Blackbirds love sultanas.

The goldfinches and siskins here seem to flit between
the niger and the seed mix (I use a mix of kibbled
sunflower hearts and dried meal worms) although the
goldfinches tend to prefer the seed mix, siskins will
go back and forth, taking a mouthful from one, then
from the other.

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...


I stopped feeding niger seed because of the wastage. I use 50% canary
seed,
50% sunflower hearts in my seed feeders and it seems to suit all the
small
birds including goldfinches with very little wastage. For chaffinches I
use
canary mix on a birdtable and have had 17 at once.
I also put very small grade grit out (the sort you can get for budgies)
and
this is also popular.
Blackbirds love sultanas.

The goldfinches and siskins here seem to flit between
the niger and the seed mix (I use a mix of kibbled
sunflower hearts and dried meal worms) although the
goldfinches tend to prefer the seed mix, siskins will
go back and forth, taking a mouthful from one, then
from the other.

--
Roger T

I don't seem to get siskins, or maybe I do and just don't see them.
Had a green woodpecker calling in my garden two days ago.
boast