Hi - I have two bird feeders, one with niger seeds and the other (4 perches) with sunflower hearts. The latter one was only filled yesterday and is over half way eaten already. The reason for asking is that I also suspect a squirrel! Last week I had general seed in the feeder and found a lot of it on the ground below - I wondered if the squirrel had tipped it up trying to get the seed.
We have about 9 goldfinches on the feeders and they do seem to be there a lot - just wondered how much birdies eat (this is going to be very expensive!)
Oh the little birds do love those sunflower hearts! At work I fill mine when I arrive at 9am and by the time I go home at 5pm, they are almost empty! I do work by a forest, but still, they strip them like they haven't eaten for a week! I've also noticed that if I put out seed/nuts at the same time, the hearts are always eaten first.
At the moment I am refilling my 6 sunflower heart seed feeders every two days. It is the goldfinches that are so hungry - the twelve perches are pretty much always in use with a dozen more birds on the ground hoovering up the broken bits and half a dozen more fighting for their turn on the feeders. Thank goodness the feeders are not so busy all year. I think the goldfinches are gearing up to migrate - although a good many do stay here over the winter.
Expensive business feeding birds! I'll get a 25 kilo sack delivered tomorrow which will last for maybe 4 months.
Tricia
Thanks for replying Tricia and Samlouise. The goldfinches are there all the time but I also saw a squirrel feasting too - trying to distract it with cheaper nuts! Its an expensive business this!
There are some feeders on the market that come with a down-turned baffle to make life difficult for squiggles to clamber round. It might be worth investing in one of those.
My six budgies leave a good deal of their seed uneaten and I run out of breath trying to blow the seed husks away so I collect the remains from their feeders and fill wild-bird feeders. Seems to work - had five gold finches belting around this morning.
Not seen much of the squiggles recently (http://www.tiptopglobe.com/skin/smile/s12016.gif) (http://www.tiptopglobe.com/free-smiles-smileys-emoticons-blog-forum-email)- I think the two foxes frolicking on the lawn may have deterred them.