Allotments 4 All

I looked out of my window at the wind whipping the teazles around when I saw a flash of red. these are rare visitors as I live on a large housing estate
marg

Brilliant picture. I have seen lots of them on the Whitedowns in Surrey on the teasels. I now go round throwing teasel seeds everywhere 8)

What a lovely sight marg, just shows you what will venture into our barren concrete jungles if the food is there. What we call wastelands are their havens.....

note to self, must get teasel seeds.

I had freinds from Germany over years ago, and one of them asked me to stop at the roadside. He jumped out of the car and grabbed a couple of teasel heads. He said they never see these in Germany, and wanted to grow some in his garden. He was one happy chappie!

Now they have found the Teazle's if you put out some Nyjer seed you will have them coming back  every day. :)

excellent! I liberated a few teasel heads on the way to work a few weeks ago, now I've got about a dozen seedlings on the kitchen window sill ready for the garden and the wildlife corner on the lottie ;D looking forward to goldfinches!

(star, if you want some seeds I've got plenty left. the germination rate wasn't excellent but you're very welcome to them)

Thats very kind Nfl, I can get some quite close by....I just keep forgeting.


Thanks though hun x

warning .!! this is the third year I have grown them and they do self seed   (usually in all the wrong places ie inbetween patio slabs) and they can grow very large, one was eight foot just outside my front door I,ll try to rescue some if any body would like some
marg

no a confused looking bug was all I got they are in a exposed place prob get a carpet of seedlings in the spring. I don,t mind if I get more finches
marg

I think this is because Niger seed the fav food of goldfinches is teasel and it is also very popular with other seed eaters ie Greenfinches, and you may get Dunnocks on the ground looking for left overs. Get a Niger Seed feeder and it may take a while for the birds to find feeder(weeks) but then they will hang on like a bunch of grapes and their song is lovely.

Goldfinches love teasles.  They have specially stiffened feathers around their faces to cope with the spines.

Yep
Goldfinches like teasles

and (thanks be to Terry Wogan)

Tits like coconuts ;D

I got some of those black seeds but no interest yet :'( thanks for the tip about the coconut will get one tomorrow. can always fill it with scraps when it has been ate out
marg

Never did get much interest when we put out niger seed, but try sunflower seed.
We get flocks of up to 15 goldfinches, every day, and also lots of fat sleek greenfiches too. This in a built up area.
Use the shelled seed if you can afford it, theres no mess, as the dropped bits are mopped up by the ground feeders

I would agree that Niger seed is by no means the favourite food of Goldfinches.

They prefer sunflower hearts. The feeder always has Goldfinches on it.

They will take Niger seed from the feeder but only occasionally.