My back garden is alongside a main road (Rochdale Road) and was new when I bought it. At first there were no birds. I now get up to 25 greenfinches along with chaffinch , goldfinch and the occasional Bullfinch. They can empty a feeder full of black sunflower seed in a day, and that's virtually all I put out along with some peanuts which seem to last forever and a few fatballs which the starlings like. If I put out the mixed bird seed they don't eat it! I think black sunflower seeds are eaten by all the finches but give them a bit of time. Steve
I have black sunflower seeds and nothing eats them! The Goldfinches seem to eat as many sunflower hearts as they eat nyger seeds - but nothing else bothers with the nyger.
For the past 4 or 5 days i have now got a GS Woodpecker which is coming several times each day - for peanuts and fat balls.
My back garden is alongside a main road (Rochdale Road) and was new when I bought it. At first there were no birds. I now get up to 25 greenfinches along with chaffinch , goldfinch and the occasional Bullfinch. They can empty a feeder full of black sunflower seed in a day, and that's virtually all I put out along with some peanuts which seem to last forever and a few fatballs which the starlings like. If I put out the mixed bird seed they don't eat it! I think black sunflower seeds are eaten by all the finches but give them a bit of time. Steve
Cheers Paul - I don't think there are any 'passing through' where I live... pity really, otherwise I'd get some seeds to try... do any other birds particularly like them in case I did ever get some - that way it wouldn't be a waste.
I haven't seen any Greenfinch or Goldfinch in my area... if I put out 'Niger seeds' have I a chance of attracting the latter, or might they not be 'local' to my garden?
I "upgraded" my feeders a couple of weeks ago and started to put out nyger seed then. Within days, one Goldfinch started to appear which has now grown to three birds. They were, however, already in the area - I had seen them "passing through" before, but they never used to use my bird table. I suspect you may have to already have Goldfinches in the area to attract them.
I haven't seen any Greenfinch or Goldfinch in my area... if I put out 'Niger seeds' have I a chance of attracting the latter, or might they not be 'local' to my garden?
In my garden at the moment; 17 House Sparrow 3 Chaffinch 5 Goldfinch 2 Greenfinch I have 2 feeders with sunflower hearts, 2 with peanuts, 1 niger and 1 black sunflowers, dare not tell my wife how much this costs Cheers Ian
I do the Garden Bidwatch and have recently counted 27 House Sparrows - there are probably quite a few more as you can only count birds you see all at the same time for GBW.
Just started putting out Nyger seed and already I've attracted 3 Goldfinches. This morning also have a GS Woodpecker on the fat balls, a couple of Greenfinches and a couple of Chaffinches. The two regular Bullfinches haven't been seen for over a week.
Question here folks re: feeding - what's your thoughts on putting out bread for them?
Just wondered after I read this a while back:
"Bread should be banned as a bird food because it is so unhealthy and damages chicks' chances of surviving to adulthood, experts have said.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said it holds little nutritional value and suggested instead giving them a range of alternatives, including cake crumbs, crushed biscuits, grated cheese, leftover jacket potatoes, breakfast cereal, overripe strawberries and porridge oats.
Granary breads with seeds are marginally healthier than cheap white sliced loaves but still simply fill the birds up without doing them enough good."
See... the thing that I do is put out a mix... peanuts in a feeder, suet treats in a feeder, fatballs and an 'all year round' wild birdseed mix... I don't put bread out now, but although I've plenty visitors, there do seem to be less than when I originally was putting out 'the humble loaf' broken up.
We've been getting quite a few sparrows (8-10 max) for the last couple of months in Audenshaw. Also regularly two or three Greenfinches, four or five Goldfinches, pair of Dunnocks, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch plus Blackbirds, Magpies and too many Collared Doves.
Around the time of the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch the numbers dropped quite dramatically to about four or five birds of any species in a morning.
I've been counting wintering birds in my garden for about 15 years (as well as noting breeding records). House Sparrows declined from being the most numerous species to completely extinct within just two years. Two years later they gradually returned with no obvious explanation. The correlation with Greenfinches is interesting - I'll check my records.
Good to hear they've increased in parts of the county. They have completely died out in my garden (Hale Barns, S.Manc) and the local area now as well even though we have gradually been putting out more and more seed for years. Interesting about the Greenfinch relationship, as my sparrows have gone the Greenfinches and other finches in general have flourished where as they seemed supressed in numbers in the days of 10+ sparrows in the garden. Thanks. Henry.
We've got plenty visiting our garden, and thanks to the bird table, an 'improvised birdbath' and other items... oh, and of course food we put out, they're established regulars.
I having been seeing more(or some) Sparrows recently, after not seeing any for a good while. Some in my garden, some on the street and lanes. Anyone else noticed this?
Geoff
I counted 27 in my garden today (several youngsters amongst them). I have a healthy population of House Sparrows nowadays. When I first moved in, there were only a few. As the Sparrow population has grown, however, the Greenfinches have declined.
I live in flats with flat roofs and the Sparrows are always going up there - I suspect that's where they nest.
new flat roof,i,ve been putting it off for a nearly a year waiting of a 'weather window'and some holidays to collide I wasted a dry day on thursday trusting the forecast,kicked of big style friday am and got the boards off and the new ones on and watertight by 9.30 pm,long hard day but very rewarding,the sparrows in the rear roof space were,nt botherd and were seen this morning with nesting material and 'cuddle's near the nest site so the next brood is on the way
Hope they're still there Geoff H - when I passed your house yesterday it looked like you were about to renew your flat roof, judging from the building materials in your drive!
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Judith Smith
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Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!
geoff,must be a localised thing i,ve got house sparrows nesting above the bathroom,first lot fledged thursday am,but their in a really tight corner of the flat roof so i can,t get to see them in the nest but mum and dad are in there every minute or so and a treat to watch,there,s a good bunch of them nesting around the sinderland green area and a few mobile sightings of tree sparrows in the hedges around red house farm,if your close enough to go and have look could just be a sparrowfest ,i just pass through at a very legal 30mph every night.
I having been seeing more(or some) Sparrows recently, after not seeing any for a good while. Some in my garden, some on the street and lanes. Anyone else noticed this?
and some holidays to collide I wasted a dry day on thursday
trusting the forecast,kicked of big style friday am and got the boards off and the new ones on and watertight by 9.30 pm,long hard day but very rewarding,the sparrows in the rear roof space were,nt botherd and were seen this morning with nesting material and 'cuddle's near the nest site so the next brood is on the way
of tree sparrows