Seeds with a high oil content like your thistle & black-oil sunflower seeds can, as Charles noted, go rancid. But a year should be OK. I suspect the seed that I purchase now is from last year’s crops, as new crops are just now being planted. I would guess, it’s more migration patterns. I’m having a huge number of both Am Goldfinches & Pine Siskins hitting the thistle feeder to the point that I’m filling the tube which has 8 slots for feeding, everyday. And, that’s unusual for my side of the state & location. I don’t feed any mixed birdseed, too much Millet which attracts House Sparrows.
I fill a hanging platform feeder with black-oil sunflower seeds, the tube with thistles & now, an Oriole feeder. I filled the jam cups with grape jam & placed two “Little Sweetie” orange halves on the pegs yesterday & a male Bullock’s Oriole has been hitting it all morning. Hope this helps.
Niger (aka thistle) seed does get funky after a while, the oils within seem
to go rancid (this can probably happen to any bird seed). But it can also
take a while for finches to find it unless they are already coming to say a
nearby sunflower feeder. You’ll get mostly goldfinches at the thistle
feeder in Boise (and they’ll also readily take sun flower seeds). I would
recommend sun flower only in the other feeder over a multi-seed feeder,
throw the mix on the ground if you are ok with that.
Charles.
On Sat, May 19, 2018 at 6:29 AM smeikle@iw.net [ible] <
ible-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>
> Good Morning –
>
>
> Wondering if anyone is a bird seed expert that can help me with a question
> I have regarding Nyjer seed? I have a bag of Nyjer seed that is approx. 1
> year old that I just put out but have not been getting much activity from
> the gold finches. Initially I had it located under an Aspen tree by a
> multi-seed feeder. After not much activity, I relocated it across the yard
> next to a large columnar pine with no increased activity. Is it the seed?
> I have only seen a few gold finches this year compared to years past so
> maybe that’s the issue. Any thoughts?
>
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> Sharon M.
>
> Boise
>
>
—
Charles Swift
Moscow, Idaho
chaetura@gmail.com
Wondering if anyone is a bird seed expert that can help me with a question I have regarding Nyjer seed? I have a bag of Nyjer seed that is approx. 1 year old that I just put out but have not been getting much activity from the gold finches. Initially I had it located under an Aspen tree by a multi-seed feeder. After not much activity, I relocated it across the yard next to a large columnar pine with no increased activity. Is it the seed? I have only seen a few gold finches this year compared to years past so maybe that’s the issue. Any thoughts?
Hit the birding at first light this AM. After last evening’s torrential downpour (2 inches in 1-1/2 hr) thought the thunderstorms may have caused some migrants to sit tight overnight. Found all the usual summer residents, plus a male W Tanager, in fresh spring plumage that landed on the top of my Oriole feeder & allowed for a satisfying, long observation. Now, after warming up with a cup of coffee, headed back out to see if any Lazuli Buntings are around.
Bullock’s Orioles finally arrived 2 days ago with males singing. Set up an Oriole feeder, first time I’ve tried one of those, & put on orange halves & grape jam in the cups. Pine Siskins are now almost out-numbering Am Goldfinches at the thistle seeds. And, Black-headed Grosbeak numbers, both males & females, have increased to at least 6. Still have Cassin’s Finches coming in to sunflower seeds & White-crowned Sparrows feeding on spilled seeds. Both Black-chinned & Rufous Hummingbirds are going after the hummer feeder.
Both Yellow & Wilson’s Warblers are present, as are House Wrens. And a couple of Red-naped Sapsuckers are working sap holes. Still watching for some W Tanagers to migrate through & I usually have a handful of Lazuli Buntings that nest on the place, hoping they show soon.
Hi Birders,
Yesterday Amy and I spent about 4 hours there. We saw 45 species, including 5 Long-billed Dowitchers in full breeding plumage, which raised a red flag on eBird, 3 Black Terns. At least 40 Wilson’s Phalaropes, close views of Lark Sparrows and Willets, winnowing Snipe, Soras calling (but no visual), several species of duck, including Redhead, Canvasback and Blue-winged Teal, many Black-necked Stilts. Also a possible Bonaparte’s Gull which I was unable to call for certainty, it being a long way off and hard to see in the stormy conditions that set in just before we left.
It was the best I can recall there in over 10 years.
Happy birding!
John Shortis
On main road to silver city.circa 3 pm.quail oriole chat mtn.blue bird
Lewis’woodpeckers i have seen these woodpeckers nesting here every year for
about 15 yrs.
Tonight I saw a Black-bellied Plover at Market Lake. If anyone wants to go look for it, he was foraging on the far bank of the big canal by the road, all the way down just past the last dike. I watched him for half hour or more including a quick skirmish with a Willet that got in his face, I guess, lol.
Happy birding,
Jeff Brough
Hi all,
The Intermountain Bird Observatory team was doing a training south of Boise this morning and heard what was most likely a N. Mockingbird. But they were unable to confirm.
Here’s the ID Bird Sightings and Discussion Group post: https://www.facebook.com/groups/IDBSD/permalink/1647976681967399/
And here’s a link to the checklist: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S45734252
Good birding!
~Heidi
After the push of late afternoon thunderstorms, a female Black-headed Grosbeak showed at the sunflower seed feeder. And, about 15 minutes ago, nearing dusk a male Rufous Hummingbird started hitting the nectar feeder. Even with clouds and no sun, its throat was flashing red-orange iridescence. Also have a male Red-naped Sapsucker that shredded an area of bark & made a series of fresh sap holes in a Rocky Mountain Juniper just outside one of our windows. He now visits several times a day.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
