When I finally got a coneflower head that still had seeds in it (bakemom is right, you have to beat the elements to get the goods), it reminded me a little of a pinecone setup - the seeds are wedged in at the base of the guard spikes. Don't feel stupid, kek; I've got a corner on that market. When I first started on another site, I actually sent carefully and tenderly packaged guard spikes as part of mass swaps thinking they were the seeds (blush), but nobody said anything... I then began sending whole heads thinking that would solve my ID-ilemma... which it really didn't because who knows if the wind/finches got all the seeds before I deadheaded! I now know what the seeds look like, and I think my trade partners are grateful that I *can* be taught. ;-) Terri

I was standing at the kitchen sink maybe 3 feet from the bird. I used the zoom on macro. Never used macro on zoom, but figured if it zooms you in close, you need it.. no blurriness this time. I need to keep my window clean though! Yesterday, we had the house finches, White Crowned Sparrows and the Goldfinches all at the feeder. Couldn't get a good shot because of shadows.

I haven’t had this experience (yet) because I haven’t embarked on my new gardening lifestyle. But, next spring will be a new day. I wonder if this damage occurs mostly in the spring, or if it is related to the birds raising young. Baby birds cannot eat seeds, and parents need to find insects or worms to feed their growing family. If insects are in short supply, maybe they resort to leaves. Are those of you who have had damage located in cities or suburbs, where there might be a limited supply of wild plants or insects? Maybe try planting a bed of sprouts for the birds and covering the real garden. They might also need the moisture from the leaves, if there isn’t a nearby source of water. Install a bird bath? Just my ponderings.

I buy most of my birdseed at Tractor Supply for several reasons. First, I pass the store several times a week going here or there and can get in and out in a jiffy even if I stop to ooooh and ahhhhh at the baby chicks and ducklets for a couple minutes. Secondly, because of the rapid shelf turnover, I know the seed stocks are probably fresher than other places where the seed or seed mixes may have been sitting on the shelf or in a warehouse for months. Thirdly, I typically buy only BOSS seeds for the birds and a bag of shelled peanuts as a blue jay treat. As to suet cakes, I feed those only during the winter and make my own using what seed I have on hand, peanut pieces, lard, and chunky peanut better. Any mix with safflower or corn goes uneaten around here and even the squirrels ignore those bits that are tossed out of the feeder onto the ground. While I much prefer to buy seed at a real feed store, all our local feed stores have moved farther out or gone out of business here a bouts. Counting travel time, it quickly became more labor and dollar intensive to visit a feed store when quite honestly, I don't know that most backyard type birds can tell the difference or want to know where you got their vittles.