Caught this charm plus Siskins through my kitchen window today.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/lowrieT/IMG_1182.jpg)
lovely picture, carol.I like the colour of the goldfinches, the tuft of red on their heads is cute ;D
What a wonderful photo. I am so envious. How come that I make sure there is plenty of food in the feeders and the only type of finches I get are green finches and yet my daughter 2 streets away gets all kinds of finches in her garden? She doesn't even have feeders!! When Paulines7 popped in on 1st June she did suggest perhaps one small tree near the feeders might help. When I had 10ft conifers that side of the garden they didn't seem to attract the finches. I might try just one tree, anything to encourage them :) Maybe I will also try more Niger seed feeders (only got one at present)
I just love that photo Carol.
Lorna
I have found that Siskins seem to like Niger seed and Goldfinches prefer sunflower hearts. The two are always available all year round and the Goldfinches very rarely go to the Niger seed.
At one stage - no kidding - I had 50 Siskins feeding at one time and another time 22 Goldfinches.
Very few of either at the moment.
I do put out sunflower seeds, on ground feeder and a feeder. I will try s/f hearts.
I could say I don't believe it (50 siskins) but that is just because I am so jealous ;D
I do love finches, my friend sent me this photo he took in his backgarden - I think the goldfinch was tired from all the seed eating! ;)
Kathi
Aw Lorna one of these days you are going to get the goldfinches. Wish I could send you some jsut to please you. I put out Kibbled Sun Hearts in 2 feeders at one side of my garden hanging from a tree. In this picture is another lot of feeders with Nyger seed and peanuts. The goldfinches go to both lots, think they fly from one end of garden to another. The siskins do the same. I have noticed there is certainly a big increase in the numbers of goldfinches. I record for the BTO and have been reporting high numbers for quite some time now. The siskins turned up about 3 weeks ago. Fingers crossed for you Lorna...plant a tree and hang some sun hearts and nyger seed. ;) ;)
WOW Carol! The closest we have had is 2 on the ponds edge...which leads to a question being asked on the wildlife forum! ;D
Really beatiful pic Carol , they are such gorgeous birds.
Can I ask?
The tray on the bottom of the feeder, did you do that yourself?
I ask because ive stuck dozens of different types of trays to my feeders to contain spillage but they always end up falling off ::) >:(
Any suggestions?
We sometimes get a yellow green bird in our garden on the seed feeder, how do I tell if it's a greenfinch or a siskin?
Kathi
The greenfinch is bigger than the siskin and more an olive green. The siskin is like in the pic!!!!! its a small bird with a black crown and its very agile and usually eats upside down!!.
Hello Lorna
I know it sounds unbelievable but 50 Siskins appeared on a regular basis during the winter. My neighbour also counted them and every visitor was amazed by the number.
They are starting to reappear again now but only the odd one. The Niger seed feeder has remained virtually untouched for a few weeks but as they reappear it will be refilled at least every second day.
The goldfinches and juveniles have been around for the last week or so, but never close enough for a picture. Siskins I have never seen here.
Toadspawn. I will carry out all suggestions, one day you will hear a loud scream of Yipee!!! As said I am so envious but love looking at the pics that are put on here...I thought that my usual visitors would lessen at this time of the year but I am still getting as many visits which pleases me.
Lorna.
Honeybee
The tray is attached to the feeder.
CJ Wildbird foods catalogue
Metal Seed Feeders - Large £18.95 Medium £14.95 Small £10.95
Feeder Tray attached for the Conqueror and Defender Feeder is £8.99
The Tray fitted to the feeder is handy cos it can be removed and washed easily.
;) ;) ;)
Lorna..........one way your assured of a visit from finches goldies in
particular is............. if you plant some teasel seed in a plastic bucket
drawback is will be 2 years to get teasel seed heads :o :o ;D
jaggythistle, well I have waited for over a year since putting up feeders so anything is worth a go ;D