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Talkback: Goldfinches

oldchippyoldchippy Posts: 244
in Talkback
Kate I remember on my way to school when I was about 8 seeing Goldfinches in some one's garden and thinking how wonderful they looked and how we never had bird's like that in our garden,I thought they were quite exotic and where did they get them, now I know if you want Goldfinch in your garden all you need to do is grow the right plant's that they feed on.I'm not sure I like cranefly the way you seem to.



Oldchippy.
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  • Kate BradburyKate Bradbury Posts: 160
    Thanks Oldchippy. Now what's wrong with the cranefly? Just because the goldfinch is better looking ;)
  • kaycurtiskaycurtis Posts: 111
    Dear Kate I have green finches visiting my garden along with loads of other birds, although the only one's that that will stay around if they catch site of me is the cheeky little Robins, like you I have trains at the bottom of my garden I actually live in a road where the trains run down either side of the road so affectively we're in a cutting, at the end of my garden is the fast train to Gatwick, so fast moving trains every 15 minuits, the birds don't care they get used to it. I also have most of the dogs in the district being looked after by the people next door even the continuouse barking hasn't chased all the birds away, the woodpecker doesn't like it though.
  • higgy50higgy50 Posts: 184

    Goldfinches really are one of our 'special, birds aren't they? thier colour is so vibrant and they are great fun to watch on garden feeders or even better flower seed heads!

    When we moved into our house about two years ago I used to see a large group of Goldfinches in the garden two doors down but they never ventured onto my feeders! In a bid to attract them I started feeding Niger Seeds and within days we had a regular procession of these beautiful birds in the garden. 

    Over winter I leave all the seed heads on the plants in my large perennial border such as Rudbeckia and of course sunflowers amongst others. We now get regular raiding parties of up to a dozen finches coming into the garden where they often spend hours feeding on these seed heads.

    So if you want to keep them coming start feeding Niger seed and don't be to keen to chop down your perennials until next spring, you might be surprised who comes to visit!!..

    higgy

    http://higgysgardenproject.blogspot.co.uk/

  • RonRon Posts: 32
    They still sound nice even when squabbling, sadly mine seem to have gone on holiday for a few weeks.
  • oldchippyoldchippy Posts: 244
    It's a shame that Teasel's don't keep there flowers for longer,My patch of Teasel's are getting bigger but still only last for a couple of day's,The seed head's look great if I can keep them standing up right.



    Oldchippy.
  • AndytheScientistAndytheScientist Posts: 223

    It's amazing how much difference the type of food makes to the visitors you get.. i always wonder how on earth the birds find their way to your food.

    When we moved out into the country the first thing i did was get a feeding station up and running, baring in mind the garden was a 20 m2 piece of grass with not a single plant in it, so no shelter, i wasn't expecting too much at first.. Boy was i wrong,  I put up mixed seed and peanuts, as well as some fat balls, first to arrive were obviously the blue tits, great tits, sparrows and starlings. Then came the green finches and some yellow hammers eating the scraps off the ground. Then a woodpecker appeared, and a pied wagtail started to visit along with chaffinches. Interestingly no gold finches.

    So last week i got a nijer feeder and stuck it up, and litterally withing an hour gold finches started to appear, now i have them forming lines to visit.. Next i'm hopeing for a siskin!

  • ladycruiserladycruiser Posts: 21

    I have as many as 20 Goldfinch at a time two or three times a day.  They seem to come in a flock (sorry charm) and all fly away together. I feed Niger seed and chopped sunflower hearts.  I also get Green Finch most types of Blue Tits Tree Creepers and sparrows.  We also have resident blackbirds and a Jenny Wren in the garden.

  • flowering roseflowering rose Posts: 1,632

    here in the city we also have goldfinches and a good variety of widlife as well as birds.in fact I see more here than when I am out in the countryside.image

  • ladycruiserladycruiser Posts: 21

    I live on the outskirts of a big city and besides rhe birds I have squirrels andn hedgehogs visiting daily

  • graigrai Posts: 78

    I heard somewhere that for some unknown reason while other bird populations are being devastated goldfinches are increasing in number - hope its true - I love them

    wish they'd find out where all the birds are going though - and help the farmers grow food without being so toxic to wildlife - money isnt everything image

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