Goldfinches

Knine

This morning, I found 4 goldfinches in my back garden at my peanut feeder, Ive never seen them in the wild before and it made my day. I'm not a bird watcher as such but try to feed the birds in the garden in such bad weather.

So far Ive seen Robins, a thrush, blue and coal tits, collared doves, wood pigeons, Chaffinches along with the usual crows and starlings.

Ive seen hardly any sparrows

Any ideas on what foods I can put out for them other than the usual peanuts?

Feargal as Luimneach

Knine wrote: »

This morning, I found 4 goldfinches in my back garden at my peanut feeder, Ive never seen them in the wild before and it made my day. I'm not a bird watcher as such but try to feed the birds in the garden in such bad weather.

So far Ive seen Robins, a thrush, blue and coal tits, collared doves, wood pigeons, Chaffinches along with the usual crows and starlings.

Ive seen hardly any sparrows

Any ideas on what foods I can put out for them other than the usual peanuts?

A good link with some tips:
http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/Portals/0/pdfs/GBS_FeedingWildBirds.pdf
Goldfinches don't use peanut feeders much, if you want plenty of them around feed them nyger seeds. You have to get a nyger feeder. Here's a video of a nyger feeder:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0nKC6_p1io

donal2000

Goldfinches are always nice to see visiting!

Other than peanuts you could try nyger seed (favourite of goldfinches), sunflower seeds/sunflower black hearts, raisins or sultanas (soak in warm water before putting out - favourite of blackbirds/thrushes), cut up fruit such as apple/pear, muesli, the list in endless.....

Knine

Thanks guys. I would love to see more goldfinch, I want to get my 8 year old daughter a small guide book on birds for her xmas stocking so she can learn about garden birds and identify them.

How do I keep the starlings etc from driving off the smaller birds. I know they have to eat too but they tend to hog the feeders.

Where do I get nyger seed?

donal2000

Hi,

Take a look at www.birdfood.ie
You can get feeders with guards to prevent larger birds from getting to the feeders.
Nyger seed feeders can also be purchased from this website.

Best of luck.

ThunderCat

Saw a goldfinch for the first time out my back garden over the weekend. Had only just put out the nyger seed and he was down for it. When I left the house this morning there were two goldfinches at the nyger feeder. Was nearly late for work watching them. Fabulous looking bird and their gold wing bars really stand out in flight. Have had one greenfinch out the garden too for the last few weeks. He's the boss of the whole garden by the looks of it. He chases everything away while he's at the feeder. I got my nyger seed from the local pet shop if thats any use OP. Also with regards starlings, I notice that the smaller birds have no problem eating side by side with them. The suet balls in my garden tend to occupy the starlings which leaves the feeders free so maybe try that OP.
I put out nyger seed, peanuts, sunflower seeds and suet balls and get coal tits, blue tits, great tits, house sparrows, dunnocks (i think), goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch, robin and starlings. No crows and only the occasional collared dove. It's amazing the show you can get from them all for as little as a few euro worth of seed.

ThunderCat

Quick question - Im gonna start getting mealworm and leaving that out too. What birds will that attract? And do you just put in loose on the grass for them? Used to have a song thrush visit the garden in my old house. Wouldnt mind getting a few of them in again - lovely bird. Forgot to add to the above post that I also get the ocassional blackbird out the garden too.

megadodge

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Goldfinches don't use peanut feeders much,

Well the ones around my place do!

Last winter a group of 12-14 completely dominated the feeding area for long stretches and they concentrated mainly on the peanut feeders.

This year they've been notable by their absence. Have seen 4 or 5 on rare occasions and am wondering why the drop in numbers and frequency?

littlebug

megadodge wrote: »

Well the ones around my place do!

As do mine! They are constantly at the peanut feeders and if anything they'll go to the peanuts before the nyjer.

Feargal as Luimneach

megadodge wrote: »

Well the ones around my place do!

Last winter a group of 12-14 completely dominated the feeding area for long stretches and they concentrated mainly on the peanut feeders.

This year they've been notable by their absence. Have seen 4 or 5 on rare occasions and am wondering why the drop in numbers and frequency?

I must have the posh Wicklow ones:D I have only once seen goldfinches use my peanut feeders ever.

Scotty #

Very busy weekend on the birdfeeders. Been putting out peanuts, sunflower seeds, fat balls, and grounded toast and cream crackers.

Have had all the usuals as well as a few hooded crows, a redpoll (female), a black headed gull, and a mouse!

Also saw an owl this weekend, not sure what type as I was looking downhill at it and could only see a silhouette in the snow. I presume a barn owl.

Sunday morning went for a walk along the Boyne and saw what I think was a peregrine take a blackbird. Didn't actually see the catch just her flying with it being chased (though pretty much unfazed) by a hooded crow. At first I presumed it was a Sparrowhawk but after a little research I now believe it was a Peregrine because it had quiet a blue/grey back (Sparrowhawks are more brown?) and I think we don't actually have Sparrowhawks this time of year. Am I right?

Didn't have any Goldfinches either but my Mam gets loads of them at her feeders. Maybe because I am in a town and she isn't?

trebor28

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

I must have the posh Wicklow ones:D I have only once seen goldfinches use my peanut feeders ever.

either that or they dont like the smell of your peanuts!:D

Mothman

Emm, the Wicklow Goldfinches with me love peanuts.......

Scotty, I think most likely Sparrowhawk. They certainly are around and are blueish/Grey uppers as well. I'd say Peregrine would generally target larger prey. Kestrel does have some brown on back.

BargainHunter

I let a patch of garden go wild with thistles. These thistles have attracted a lot of goldfinches in autumn. About 12 goldfinches arrive together and feast on the seed of the dead thistle plants. They are wary of humans and leave if they see me watching them, so its hard to photograph them. I will upload the video as soon as I get it edited.

In the recent snow, I havent seen any goldfinches, and I have nyger seed all over the ground. Most of the other birds wont eat the nyger off the ground/snow. I mainly have a gang of chaffinches. Since they dont eat the nyger I give them porrige oats, which they eat.

trebor28

donal2000 wrote: »

Hi,

Take a look at www.birdfood.ie
You can get feeders with guards to prevent larger birds from getting to the feeders.
Nyger seed feeders can also be purchased from this website.

Best of luck.

is the food on this site not a bit expensive?

like a 5kg bag of peanuts is €19 and thats before delivery charges!

i was in a local hardware store and they had 5kg tubs of peanuts for something like €11.95

ender ender

ThunderCat wrote: »

Quick question - Im gonna start getting mealworm and leaving that out too. What birds will that attract? And do you just put in loose on the grass for them? Used to have a song thrush visit the garden in my old house. Wouldnt mind getting a few of them in again - lovely bird. Forgot to add to the above post that I also get the ocassional blackbird out the garden too.

Robins, thrushes, wrens, dunnocks and blackbirds, according to Fingal County Council's biodiversity website. Although nothing has touched the ones I've left out for them...

Scotty #

Mothman wrote: »

Scotty, I think most likely Sparrowhawk. They certainly are around and are blueish/Grey uppers as well. I'd say Peregrine would generally target larger prey. Kestrel does have some brown on back.

Are they around in December though?

I did think Sparrowhawk at first sight. Very agile through bushes (don't know if peregrine is?)

Also, not sure if this makes a difference... there were two of them together. Both with blue/grey back and one quiet bigger than the other.

Knine

Well I havent seen the Goldfinches since but sure I will keep watching out for them. Now the Robins are starting to look in the windows at me:D I'm getting to quite like feeding the little garden visitors.

I only have to venture out the back garden and I have loads of crows coming to see what Ive left them.

Ive started to soak some dry dog food and melt some lard on it and all the birds seem to love that except the collared doves who eat the seed.

Even when the snow is gone do I keep feeding them?

Scotty #

Knine wrote: »

Even when the snow is gone do I keep feeding them?

Yes, don't know how true it is but I've read that they become dependant on you feeding them.

Half-cocked

trebor28 wrote: »

is the food on this site not a bit expensive?

like a 5kg bag of peanuts is €19 and thats before delivery charges!

Yes it is. Shop around for food and avoid the big DIY/Hardware stores. Pet shops and specialist suppliers are usually cheapest, especially if you're buying bulk - 15 to 25Kg bags are the best value.

Getting back to Goldfinches, I found that it took nyjer seed to attract them into my garden, but once there they started moving onto the other food I left out. Black sunflower seems to be a favourite and also mixed seed. Nyjer is quite expensive but does go a long way. Linnets and Redpolls will eat it from the special thistle seed feeders too.

Bagmagnet

Just hung up a new peanut feeder about an hour ago and a goldfinch came along to check it out. First one I've ever seen in the garden. I'll have to invest in a nyjer feeder and see if I can attract more.

beer enigma

I have a pair of Goldfinches sitting on my front door step ! - never seen them around the garden before, is it just the right time of year for them or is there something planted that's brought them in ?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

This link gives a good piece on Goldfinch movements

http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/goldfinch.htm

Half-cocked

Our goldfinches have been deposed from the nyjer feeder by a flock of linnets! Now they have to make do with peanuts.