Show Us Your Feeders Vol. 6

Interesting observation about the mix in the tube feeder---

We generally reserve the tube feeders exclusively for thistle for the finches--it seems to do the trick and the squirrels seem to ignore it...but should we be adding some sunflower hearts, millet, or other seeds to attract some other little birds?...just wondering...

(We do have other feeders up with BOSS and safflower and suet)

Thanks...t.

I don't have any trouble w/ squirrels at the nyger feeders either.

Sure tab give it a try on a baffled pole. I would like to try that mix of nyger and
fine sunflower seeds. Maybe this summer when I don't have as many feeders up I can replace one w/ that.

pelle-- but what would the birds be that would come to a tube feeder like that with sun flower hearts? Same as to a hopper feeder? Just wondering....

Their not sunflower hearts their very fine slivers of sunflower hearts that should fit through a Nyger feeder port.

I would think Goldfinch,House Finch, Chickadees, Pine Siskens andJunco's would be ones to eat that and maybe others small birds.

It is odd, on my platform feeder I usually put BOSS (

You put Black Oil Sunflower Seed (BOSS).

My Goldies love the sunflower seed feeder, it has both types in and out of the shell.

I spent quite a while trying to photograph one at that feeder today; it was nice to see him be able to spend alot of time there without being chased off by the numerous House Finch.

OK. I see. I will keep the thistle in the tube feeder. The goldfinches seem to be able to deal with it along with the house finches and the squirrels don't bother it at all. The other little birds can go to the other feeders...

I did read an article today about a woman who 'created' a naturalistic feeder of a low rotted stump, some pine greens and rose bush leavings, and a few limbs and smeared suet on it here and there to attract ground feeders out of the bushes. In no time (one day) she had a 'harris' sparrow (v. rare) and one other rare-ish bird (forget which one) coming out of the brush to feed there...only thing, I forget what birdseed she put out! And she had beautiful photos because of the naturalistic 'feeder' display (unlike my garbage can lid turned upside down!).

I might try that--I have a lot of little brown/grey birds hiding in the evergreens and hollies and I'd like to lure them out long enough for me to get a pic...to get them IDed here on Dave's...

ahhhhhhh what happened to the rest of my post!!! strange.

anyway… i just said that I put BOSS on my platform feeders and the squirrels love it of course. When I run out, I put out some of that Ultimate Finch mix and the squirrels have no interest in those fine sunflower meats. If I have more problems, I'll just have to do a pole feeder and baffle too.

Maybe I'll give it a try in one of my oldest nyger feeders.

If they ruin the feeder it won't be a big loss.

Mrs Ed are you using Morningsong mix? (something like that,lol)

I'm using the Kaytee Ultimate Finch Attractor that I get at Farm and Fleet.

http://www.kaytee.com/products/wild_birds/?pid=51500&aid=all&pcid=7

Mrs_Ed-- do you know what's in the Ultimate Finch Mix besides fine sunflower meats? Thistle, too, I suppose? And...?

(We buy our separate seeds at the feed store and I like to make up 'custom' mixes for each feeder if I think they will attract more/better birds...!)

I put the sunflower hearts/slivers on our little platform feeder. The squirrels don't seem to bother with it as long as it's the only thing on the feeder...and less spillage on the deck....

Tabasco, if you follow that link (we posted at the same time-ish), you'll see the contents are just the thistle and sunflower. I've often thought that I could mix in more thistle with this blend to help it go further, but they don't seem to go through that much of it anyway.

LOL (I think I'm obsessing now since I'm glued to the computer wondering what's in a finch mix!)

Yes, I clicked on the Kaytee link and looked it up and I had made a pretty good guess, huh?!

I would like to get Pine Siskins to come to our feeders (and maybe they already do but I can't discern them from the finches) and thought maybe I could add some 'secret ingredient' to the tube feeder to attract them...that's why I was so curious about your feeder set up. But I see looking at the Cornell site that they like Thistle just as much as anything, so I may as well stick with that. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Pine_Siskin_dtl.html

What kinds of finches come to your feeders in wintertime? Someone mentioned an 'arctic' finch on another thread...any of those?

This year I've only had American Goldfinch, House Finch and the Pine Siskins. Oh and I had ONE Common Redpoll. I haven't had the Siskins for a while though and Pelle was the one who told me I had them!!! LOL. This pix confirmed. I keep hoping I see them again, but they are all just house finches now.

I read that Chickadees will also use these upside down feeders, but I have not seen one do so. I DID have a house sparrow attempting to use it.

Many of my small birds seem to prefer feeding from the hollowed out piece of log. My squirrels don't mess with thistle and sunflower chips even when it is in one corner of platform feeders. Really the only thing my squirrels seem to go after is whole sunflower and peanuts.

Well, congratulations on the Red Poll. They're called 'common' but they aren't around here! And the Pine Siskin, too, of course. I will have to take some pics of my feeder full of finches and ask Pelle if any are Pine siskins. I'm not good at all with the little grey/brown birds... Cornell says Pine Siskins like to live in pine stands and we don't have many of those around us...

f_chisolm--Pretty pic of your---is that a chickadee? Doesn't look quite like ours, but I assume it's a southern version...? The hollowed out log looks like a good alternative to rigging up a full on 'creative' display to lure the little birds out of hiding...

Brown-headed nuthatch.

LOL well, I said I wasn't so good with the 'little brown birds'! Anyway, very cute!

Okay we have to start a new thread for this one, I'll have it ready in a few minutes.

But the Black-capped Chickadees like it too. The branches screwed to it help too.

Very nice pic Frank!

Heres the New Thread

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/804940/