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finches, finches, finches

17 years ago

Hi all, longtime lurker...

I live (currently) in Venice, CA on a little walk street about 300 yards from the ocean. Absolutely an "urban" environment - between Santa Monica and Marina del Rey - but our particular location is very sheltered with tons of huge trees and shade.

My 3-year-old and I put up several birdfeeders at our farm in upstate NY with success - woodpeckers, juncos, pine siskins, etc... now we're here in CA for the summer, and we put up a similar setup.

It has been a wild success - if you like house finches and American goldfinches. Don't get me wrong, they're very pretty, but there aren't any other birds coming by (except for the occasional HOSP), and they've really overrun the feeders.

Our feeders are:

- metal mesh feeder with nyjer seed (goldfinches go through TONS a day)

- squirrel tumber feeder with sunflower hearts

- brome squirrel-proof feeder with no-mess mix of BOSS, peanuts and a little millet

- suet feeder (completely ignored by all birds)

- two hummzinger feeders in other part of yard (getting some nice hummingbird action)

I'll probably mix some of the new golden safflower seed into the feeders to deter the few HOSP that manage to get through the crowds, but does anyone have any advice to get a few more species to show up? Or is that pretty much all there is in an urban environment - even at the beach - this time of year?

thanks!

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Comments (3)

birding_nut
17 years ago
Not sure what other birds you will get, but looks like you have Lesser Goldfinches there, different species than the American Goldfinch, although you appear to have some American's mixed in...it is hard to tell from your photo especially since they are in winter plumage right now. But, I think I see at least one American Goldfinch. So, you actually have 3 species of finches.

Maybe others can chime in who are more familiar with coastal California. In summer, you may get other birds visiting such as Lazuli Bunting and Black-headed Grosbeak along with orioles perhaps at the hummer feeders.

BN
hapyfrustrated
17 years ago
I have two feeders one with BOSS, the other has nyger seed. I had a flocks of chikadees and finches. They suddenly left, occasionally I will see a few of each come to the feeders, they peck a little then leave. My trees are full of birds. Should I empty the feeders, and add new seeds? I don't know exactly how I should clean the feeders, the seeds aren't old. We did have a few slight showers last week, is it possible they may be tainted? I have no idea.

I would also love to attract the tiny little birds I see in the trees. I don't know what type of feeder or seed. They certainly are not hummers, I can't see them that close, they appear to be dark in color.

Also I have some cardinals that cannot feed in my cage feeder, but I also have a huge grackle problem. How should I feed my cards?

I live in South Texas.

Thank You!
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hapyfrustrated
17 years ago
Please disregard the above post. I accidentally posted in this thread.

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