thistle

[super70s]

Anyone using thistle seed, a favorite of finches?

Several years ago I'd buy one of those socks, then I'd forget and leave
it out in the rain and the insides would turn to mush. I finally said
the hell with it.

A male goldfinch is one of the prettiest birds you can attract though,
they come to the sunflower seed feeder sometimes.

[Leon Fisk]

On Sat, 6 Apr 2024 12:51:47 -0500

Post by super70s
Anyone using thistle seed, a favorite of finches?
Several years ago I'd buy one of those socks, then I'd forget and leave
it out in the rain and the insides would turn to mush. I finally said
the hell with it.
A male goldfinch is one of the prettiest birds you can attract though,
they come to the sunflower seed feeder sometimes.

Thistle seed is messy, that's for sure🙁

After trying some different seeds years ago... I settled on just using
black oiler sunflower seeds in the shell. It attracts Goldfinch,
House Finch, Cardinal, Blue Jay, Titmouse, Chickadee, Nuthatch, Mourning
Dove, Woodpeckers...

If you have trouble with shucked hulls you can get it without too for
an added expense.

Mixed seed was cheaper but most birds bill swipe it off onto the
ground looking for the sunflower seeds🙄

[super70s]

Post by Leon Fisk
On Sat, 6 Apr 2024 12:51:47 -0500

Post by super70s
Anyone using thistle seed, a favorite of finches?
Several years ago I'd buy one of those socks, then I'd forget and
leave>it out in the rain and the insides would turn to mush. I finally
said>the hell with it.
A male goldfinch is one of the prettiest birds you can attract
though,>they come to the sunflower seed feeder sometimes.

Thistle seed is messy, that's for sure🙁
After trying some different seeds years ago... I settled on just using
black oiler sunflower seeds in the shell. It attracts Goldfinch,
House Finch, Cardinal, Blue Jay, Titmouse, Chickadee, Nuthatch, Mourning
Dove, Woodpeckers...

Cardinals supposedly have a slight preference for safflower seeds but
you'd probably be discouraging a lot of other species.

Post by Leon Fisk
If you have trouble with shucked hulls you can get it without too for
an added expense.

Yes they can make the ground messy which can attract grub worms and
then moles but I relocated my feeder from the backyard to the side of
the house on a small strip of land in between two paved driveways and
it isn't that much of a problem anymore. Also I kind of like to make
them work for their food, lol.

Post by Leon Fisk
Mixed seed was cheaper but most birds bill swipe it off onto the
ground looking for the sunflower seeds🙄

Yes that's been my experience also.

[Leon Fisk]

On Sat, 6 Apr 2024 15:25:53 -0500
super70s <***@super70s.invalid> wrote:

<snip>

Post by super70s
Cardinals supposedly have a slight preference for safflower seeds but
you'd probably be discouraging a lot of other species.

I tried shucked safflower seeds too. Most of the desired birds ate it,
once they figured out something new. I had the feeling though that
they'd rather be eating oilers😉 Was having a lot of annoyance with
Starlings and Grackles at the time if I recall correctly. It was a long
time ago. Didn't think it was really worth paying the extra price for
safflower.

Had more fun planting some of the safflower seeds in the garden.
They're pretty but prickly too. Had them a bit too close to the green
beans and they'd poke me in the back😬

[jmcquown]

Post by super70s
Anyone using thistle seed, a favorite of finches?
Several years ago I'd buy one of those socks, then I'd forget and leave
it out in the rain and the insides would turn to mush. I finally said
the hell with it.

Thistle socks do tend to get a tad mushy. I used to have a thistle
feeder. For some reason I didn't bring it with me when I moved from
Tennessee to South Carolina.

Post by super70s
A male goldfinch is one of the prettiest birds you can attract though,
they come to the sunflower seed feeder sometimes.

They are beautiful birds! And yes, they do also like sunflower seeds. :)

Jill <---in Southern South Carolina