Thanks everyone, very interesting. Yeah none of the ground feeders eat the niger seeds. I have other feeders but not a dedicated sunflower one they just go in with the mixed bird food. But I also find the ground feeders are picky & leave certain stuff. I’ll try a sunflower feeder, are they especially made for just sunflower seeds??
what does everyone put out for ground feeders. I have a ready mixed seed & add suet pellet & meal worms to it.
I have Niger seed feeders, they are used by gold finches mainly, but yesterday green finches came, which is unusual. The finches are not the only users. Mine have wood pigeons, collared doves and the odd house sparrow using them, but the one that makes a mess is the starlings who shake feed out but don't feed off the floor.
As for ground food I put sunflower hearts on a raised paving slab, and crushed peanuts around to keep the blackbirds and doves happy. I also find ground water is more important than the usual raised bird baths
Thanks everyone, very interesting. Yeah none of the ground feeders eat the niger seeds. I have other feeders but not a dedicated sunflower one they just go in with the mixed bird food. But I also find the ground feeders are picky & leave certain stuff. I’ll try a sunflower feeder, are they especially made for just sunflower seeds??
what does everyone put out for ground feeders. I have a ready mixed seed & add suet pellet & meal worms to it.
I use a standard seed feeder for the sunflower hearts. For the ground feeders I make a mix of sunflower hearts,suet pellets,mealworms and peanut granules.I did try mixing it with a seed mix as well but those seeds are always left!I use a cage to stop pigeons scoffing the lot.
“Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
Unfortunately mine is on stone slabs so nice big cracks for stuff to fall in. I’ve got a bit of help with the clearing up from a mouse that lives in the wall but I don’t think it’s keen on niger seed my garden is at a funny angle to the windows that’s why I can’t see if feeder is on lawn but things might change in the future when the trampoline is no longer in use!! Really appreciate all the suggestions, I was beginning to think there was something up with my niger seed. Only got a tub left so that shouldn’t take long to get thrown about!
The goldfinches looked wonderful today & just sat about in the feeder for ages. I really appreciate being able to watch them all.
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what does everyone put out for ground feeders. I have a ready mixed seed & add suet pellet & meal worms to it.
As for ground food I put sunflower hearts on a raised paving slab, and crushed peanuts around to keep the blackbirds and doves happy. I also find ground water is more important than the usual raised bird baths
For the ground feeders I make a mix of sunflower hearts,suet pellets,mealworms and peanut granules.I did try mixing it with a seed mix as well but those seeds are always left!I use a cage to stop pigeons scoffing the lot.
I use these in squirrel season.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Squirrel-guard-caged-bird-seed-feeder-green-27cm-high-from-Natures-Market/253350938384?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D57923%26meid%3Dbd5d5c3fa77649c8b15a77816f25dcf7%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D24%26mehot%3Dag%26sd%3D173861297516%26itm%3D253350938384&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
And these otherwise,
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Parkland-Pack-Bottle-Hanging-Feeder/dp/B01EG078JA/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Bottle+fitting+bird+feeder&qid=1557333610&s=gateway&sr=8-2
my garden is at a funny angle to the windows that’s why I can’t see if feeder is on lawn but things might change in the future when the trampoline is no longer in use!!
Really appreciate all the suggestions, I was beginning to think there was something up with my niger seed. Only got a tub left so that shouldn’t take long to get thrown about!
The goldfinches looked wonderful today & just sat about in the feeder for ages. I really appreciate being able to watch them all.