tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post791647302425767175..comments2023-11-14T08:27:12.028+00:00Comments on Wilde About Birds: Goldfinch Survey - Charming to Eat You!Findlay Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12697309393957070336noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-31414114767329287582015-11-12T22:39:48.271+00:002015-11-12T22:39:48.271+00:00What a wonderful and scientific job you've don...What a wonderful and scientific job you've done with your study! Very interesting information!Silver Parrothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09873603171743392110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-479489847264278412015-11-12T09:49:52.586+00:002015-11-12T09:49:52.586+00:00this is a bird I love to see. Makes me happy every...this is a bird I love to see. Makes me happy every time. But where I live they they are not that common. NatureFootstephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01340635075481959029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-77558510424545745462015-11-12T04:29:42.581+00:002015-11-12T04:29:42.581+00:00Very interesting study! We hope you find a sponsor...Very interesting study! We hope you find a sponsor to help with the seed cost. Looking forward to further reports.Wally Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01121368850135565674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-16559369604344002682015-11-11T20:10:57.040+00:002015-11-11T20:10:57.040+00:00This is really helpful, thank you so much.This is really helpful, thank you so much.Findlay Wildehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12697309393957070336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-84654605797337657552015-11-11T20:06:44.603+00:002015-11-11T20:06:44.603+00:00What a wonderfully scientific study! You did a ma...What a wonderfully scientific study! You did a marvelous job! It was so interesting to read the results, and to see the effects the changes had on your area.A Colorful Worldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06890388727784255219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-45611870062112498282015-11-11T01:05:47.594+00:002015-11-11T01:05:47.594+00:00Findlay...
here, in France, it is almost impossibl...Findlay...<br />here, in France, it is almost impossible to get hold of Nyjer <br /><br />[or Niger] seed or feeders...<br />but, here, there are fields of Tournesol [sunflowers] galore...<br />the finches, all types, flock to the feast that lies there, <br /><br />untouched until the big combines come in to harvest...<br />then, their free feast gone, they start to come to the <br /><br />feeders...<br /><br />We started with mixed feed for the birds as a whole...<br />but rapidly learnt that Gold and Greenfinches... as well as <br /><br />Great-tits... will "dig" seed out to get at the sunflower...<br />so now use a peanut feeder for whole black sunflower seed...<br />this works much better, as the culprits flock to the whole seed <br /><br />first...<br />provided we keep the sunflowers topped up, there is only a <br /><br />small amount of waste under the mixed feeder.<br /><br />But, Nyjer is not a native plant... it comes from North-east <br /><br />Africa... the Latin [scientific] name <i>Guizotia <br /><br />abyssinica</i> indicates these origins as well...<br />so why would Northern European birds a] recognise it... and b] <br /><br />use it as a food source... except where they've come across a <br /><br />feeder full of Niger seed by accident, liked it and returned <br /><br />with friends... they learn fast.<br />We now have Robins that use the fatball feeders by clinging on <br /><br />the wire.<br /><br />Apart from the supplementary "main course" of sunflower seed...<br />our meadow has plenty of thistle and teasle to allow them to <br /><br />snack between visits.<br /><br />As for the mouth rolling of seed....<br />here, where we provide seed in husks, all the finches that come <br /><br />to our feeders do it to sunflower and similar. <br />It may be that it is so instinctive... they can't help <br /><br />themselves... they just have to remove that invisible husk!<br />Hope these are helpful observations... <br />keep up the study for as long as you folks are happy to fund it!! ;-)Le Pré de la Forgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02396822372095610004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-44280313938310003782015-11-10T20:20:17.884+00:002015-11-10T20:20:17.884+00:00Your Goldfinch are so pretty, I wish we saw them h...Your Goldfinch are so pretty, I wish we saw them here in the states. Enjoy your week, happy birding.eileeninmdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00070309645796725309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-66910466442445653762015-11-10T19:33:30.976+00:002015-11-10T19:33:30.976+00:00This is a both valuable and original survey. I sug...This is a both valuable and original survey. I suggest that some organisation should definitely help you with the cost of sunflower seed.Phil Sladehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01846400106748443969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-43337340422130931002015-11-08T22:47:44.261+00:002015-11-08T22:47:44.261+00:00When I startd birding about 10 year agoI bought a ...When I startd birding about 10 year agoI bought a nyger feeder adn eed and no Goldfinch came ner it or into the harden. Someone told me to try unflower hearts adn within 10 minutes I had Goldfinch in the garden and they have been there eveer ince. This year I certainly have had many more Golfinch than normal and a good number of young birds, Great that you are doing the survey.Margaret Birding For Pleasurehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00400663056547331997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-31421937721319040282015-11-08T16:37:43.276+00:002015-11-08T16:37:43.276+00:00I bought a Kg of Nyger seed, hoping to attract Gol...I bought a Kg of Nyger seed, hoping to attract Goldfinch, What a waste of money, all the Goldfinch feed on sunflower heart seed...They love it<br /><br /><br />peterFOREST SNAPPERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04554993027637242244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-9249486167368910022015-11-08T16:18:30.890+00:002015-11-08T16:18:30.890+00:00Wonderful study! Mine are faithful users of nyger ...Wonderful study! Mine are faithful users of nyger seed, I had 6 fighting for a space in the 4 port feeder, but one dared use the feeder closer to the house (also using the nyger seed). Looking forward to your winter results.Africa Gomezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03501193251810926737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-51519558511369062172015-11-08T16:11:06.955+00:002015-11-08T16:11:06.955+00:00Similar picture in N Bucks with hearts by far the ...Similar picture in N Bucks with hearts by far the preferred food but Nyger being taken as well. Sprawk a constant visitor this year. Lots of very juvenile birds around in October suggesting very successful late broodsAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07807048837657128877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-44647712350465509552015-11-08T11:40:26.228+00:002015-11-08T11:40:26.228+00:00Since the weather today was so lousy I've just...Since the weather today was so lousy I've just started my online survey today. I did notice for my garden the Goldfinches turned up earlier in the year then normal and for the first time brought juveniles with them (August) the sheer numbers this year is breathtaking I've peaked so far today at 31 Goldfinches all drawn to sunflower hearts, they just don't eat anything else in the other feeders. <br />As for the mess, I've recycled old ice cream lids and screwed into the bottom of the feeders. Douglas Mcfarlanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12267360351215643395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1087997614866569468.post-67700158223016052532015-11-08T10:51:20.141+00:002015-11-08T10:51:20.141+00:00I have noticed exactly the same as you - many more...I have noticed exactly the same as you - many more goldfinch and always favouring sunflower hearts over Nyger. Donnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14230671281430954938noreply@blogger.com