birdfeeding | goldfinches

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birdfeeding

The goldfinches finally showed up. My winter visitors are:

sock - nyjer seed - goldfinches and the occasional junco

platform feeder - safflower seed - house finches and cardinals (the cover is too low for the doves)

squirrel-proof column feeder - mix of safflower and black oil sunflower - house finches, chickadees, sometimes a nuthatch. I get woodpeckers when I use a better mix of seed (downy and red-bellied, occasional hairy).

ground - safflower and sunflower - mourning doves, juncos, cardinals, squirrels. Saw some goldfinches there today.

I should get some suet.

I just received a feeder/webcam as a gift. I'll have to figure out where to put it. I want to put it on the side of the shed, but I'm not sure it gets wi-fi signal out there.

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From:

ysabetwordsmith

>> The goldfinches finally showed up. <<

Awesome.

>> sock - nyjer seed - goldfinches and the occasional junco <<

Well huh. I've never seen my juncos on the sock, they're strictly ground feeders. Occasionally they'll visit the fly-through feeder because it's a platform. The sock gets goldfinches, indigo buntings when I have them, sometimes house finches, occasionally sparrows.

>> platform feeder - safflower seed - house finches and cardinals (the cover is too low for the doves) <<

My songbird blend is mostly sunflower and safflower. I get cardinals, sparrows, and mourning doves.

>>I get woodpeckers when I use a better mix of seed<<

Mine favor the suet feeder, sometimes a corncob. I have downies, sometimes flickers or yellow-bellied woodpeckers. We used to have redheaded woodpeckers but they're rare now.

>> I should get some suet.<<

Definitely. Woodpeckers love it.

If you're concerned about other birds raiding it, get the kind that hangs upside down. I start with my roofed on hanging sideways so everyone can find it, then I tilt it at an angle, then upside down. The copper roof actually has a hole for a hook to assist hanging in different ways. I've also got an open cage one.

>> I just received a feeder/webcam as a gift. I'll have to figure out where to put it.<<

That's so exciting!

>> I want to put it on the side of the shed, but I'm not sure it gets wi-fi signal out there.<<

There are smartphone apps for testing signal strength:
https://clarkconnect.com/forum/t/which-app-can-i-use-to-measure-wifi-signal-strength/1463

I suggest that you consider where birds congregate, where is the cover and open space in your yard, where you can see easily, and where the signal is stronger. Hopefully some of those will overlap.

Many feedercams have a way to post your pictures online. At various times, we've had folks sharing theirs here, which is always exciting. The Merlin app has a posting option too.

From:

low_delta

I was surprised to see the juncos on the sock. It's only been a handful of times. I was wondering if they just went up there to shake some seed loose. I've never seen them on the platform feeder, which would be much more like eating on the ground.

20 years in this house, and I've seen redheads twice and a yellow bellied sapsucker once. Hairy is uncommon. Downy and red-bellied are common, and the only ones I see in the winter.

I'd like to put the feeder on the side of the shed because that might keep the squirrels out of it. It would be nice to put a variety of seeds in it.

From:

ysabetwordsmith

>>I was wondering if they just went up there to shake some seed loose.<<

That's possible.

Sometimes birds do unexpected things. I've seen a few sparrows snatch a bite from an upside-down finch feeder and the upside-down suet feeder. I figure the ones who are that determined have earned it.

>> I'd like to put the feeder on the side of the shed because that might keep the squirrels out of it. <<

Well, they can't climb smooth vertical walls. They can climb brick or stone. The main problem is the little fuckers can jump over 10 feet.

https://www.nature-anywhere.com/blogs/bird-feeding-academy/10-natural-tips-to-keep-squirrels-away-from-your-bird-feeder4

>>It would be nice to put a variety of seeds in it.<<

Good idea. You'd attract different birds that way.