I struggled for years to get goldfinches at my feeders, but once I finally attracted them, they've been regular customers. I don't see much of them in the wintertime, but come spring they're back in the neighborhood and looking for me to fill their thistle feeder. I've never had the huge numbers that most people tend to get, but I suspect that may change as a neighbor who also offered thistle has sold their house and moved away. No more competition!A bird I would really like to get at my feeders is the baltimore oriole. I hear them in the neighborhood singing invisibly from the treetops - how can a bright orange bird be invisible? - but my offerings of halved oranges or grape jelly have been ignored by everyone but the ants and the squirrels.
Is there any common bird that you'd like to see at your feeders, that you can't seem to attract the eye of? Mostly I'm amazed with the feeder birds I see on other's blogs - especially Jayne's - and wonder what you all do to attract such beauties that I'm not doing. Do tell!
9 comments:
Just this past winter, we realized the goldfinches didn't leave -- they just lost their coloring! Come winter, you find that a few remain.
As for orioles, we haven't had any luck at the feeders either, but I saw a special type of oriole feeder, similar to a hummingbird feeder. Haven't tried it yet; maybe some of your other visitors have?
No Baltimore Orioles here .. we have Seattle Seahawks!!! :<)
Lots of Goldfinches .. oddly, they do not do much at the thistle feeder, but really like medium, shelled, sunflower chips!
Mountain Blue Bird. There are some around, but never seen one.
You see Missy's face, you know why people like to have bunnies, even if they don't last long enough!
Well, here in urban Chicago I would be happy to have any feeder birds-or even to be able to feed them without worrying about rats. I did put some sweet red pepper cores out on the third floor balcony the other day and the finches- gold, purple and house- all showed up! I only ever got orioles at the cottage by the lake with orange halves. But, take heart- your goldfinches are beautiful!
I'd love orioles, too. And brown thrashers. And maybe some warblers. Screech owls....a peregrine or two....
: )
I'd also like to know Jayne's secret!
Jayne lives in the middle of a very rural area with lots of undistrubed natural ridges and tree lines. That's all I can figure! I offer the same type of seeds and such that everyone else does. We just seem to have a plethora of birds in this area for some reason. The numbers have been down this spring and I've not seen near the number and variety I had last year at this time. Especially the hummers. It's as if there are only two or there here at all. Wish I could share some big secret, but that's about it.
I will say that the four way cup feeder I have does tend to attract birds that normally don't come to the feeders that often.
I feel your pain, Laura. I wish I could attract the orioles to my homemade feeder (which is actually a copy of the Stokes' oriole feeder! I'll do a post on it), but like you I only get ants and stuff. I do see them in the trees around the yard or on the marsh near the road, but nothing at the feeder. I did get an indigo bunting the other day, though--but it was a female! Still--that was a real thrill! Same goes for the female rose-breasted grosbeak. I guess the guys aren't as brave.
Birds are so unpredictable. Hummers are my favorite, and I now have two feeders, but no birds. A neighbor and I both love them. One year I will have them all and she few. This year it is the other way around. I had the first, and for a little while had all of them. Suddenly it changed and she now has them all. I'm sure they will be back eventually. Just no telling when.
Love being able to barrow your neighbors goldfinch!
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