Goldfinch's and peanuts.

[Martin Wilson]

Just been reading the Thread "Sunflower hearts a birds favourite?" by Bouncytigger, and the replies.
I agree like most off the replies, but as a few have mentioned peanuts still have a place in our garden. The Blue and Great Tits, Woodpecker, Sparrows and Greenfinches use all the peanut feeders as well as the sunflower hearts and Nyger feeders (just peanuts for Woody) the Goldies feed equally on both Nyger and sunflower hearts, except for this year I have noticed a few Goldfinch's feeding from the peanuts even though the other feeders are full they have gone for the peanuts, I wounder has this been noticed by anyone else? it is the first time I have recorded this event in my back garden.
Interesting to hear if anyone has seen the same. I am not saying " put peanuts out and the Goldies will come " Ive never seen it before.

[Phoebe]

I don't get Goldies in my garden

I must comment on your photos they are brilliant, so clear and in focus.

[badgerwatcher]

My goldfinches never touch anything except niger seed and apparently can't get enough of it, they're there all the time.
I have one feeder hanging down from the guttering in front of my sitting room window so my window if always full of goldfinches. It's glorious.

[Rebus]

Never seen a goldfinch on the nut feeder before, mine always go for the niger seed or sunflower hearts. Great pics

[Cheryl]

Originally Posted by badgerwatcher

My goldfinches never touch anything except niger seed and apparently can't get enough of it, they're there all the time.
I have one feeder hanging down from the guttering in front of my sitting room window so my window if always full of goldfinches. It's glorious.

Have you still got them visiting? We've had many more goldfinches then usual this year and the feeder has been well occupied but I've not seen or heard any for several weeks now so was thinking of taking the niger feeder in and replcing it with something else.

[Martin Wilson]

Originally Posted by Phoebe

I don't get Goldies in my garden

I must comment on your photos they are brilliant, so clear and in focus.

Sorry to hear about your lack of Goldies a loverly Bird and you can always know when they are close by their constant chirping.

Thanks Phoebe.

Martin

[Martin Wilson]

Originally Posted by badgerwatcher

My goldfinches never touch anything except niger seed and apparently can't get enough of it, they're there all the time.
I have one feeder hanging down from the guttering in front of my sitting room window so my window if always full of goldfinches. It's glorious.

As a rule badgerwatcher the same in my garden, most go for the same feeders as yours do, but just a few go for the peanuts.
No idea to why!!!
Thanks for your reply

Martin

[Martin Wilson]

Originally Posted by Rebus

Never seen a goldfinch on the nut feeder before, mine always go for the Niger seed or sunflower hearts. Great pics

Thank you Rebus, until this year I have never seen them feeding from peanuts, only a couple do whilst the majority feed from the Nyger and sunflower hearts, a change of diet maybe....or they just like them
No idea!!!

Thanks for your comments.

Martin

[Martin Wilson]

Originally Posted by Cheryl

Have you still got them visiting? We've had many more goldfinches then usual this year and the feeder has been well occupied but I've not seen or heard any for several weeks now so was thinking of taking the niger feeder in and replcing it with something else.

Cheryl.
I can only say for my garden, there are less of them this year than usual, but that goes for the Greenfinches as well. Could they have the same Flu virus that the Greenfinchs had?, cross contaminated by feeders or water maybe.
But there is definitely less of them this year than last.

Martin

[badgerwatcher]

The last couple of weeks they have arrived in large numbers, but were absent for quite a long time before that. I assumed they were on thistles somewhere, getting the 'real deal'.
Now I have several dozen out there all the time, apart from when cats or sparrow hawks are about, and a greater spotted woodpecker is out there among them every day on the peanut feeder, which makes for good colour effect.