Talkback: Goldfinches, cats and children - Talkback

04/04/2008 at 11:24

I am so happy to report that I've had Goldfinches in my garden, after 5 years of trying to entice the more exotic birds, like bullfinches and goldfinches. Over the past three days I have seen pairs of Goldfinches, greenfinches (another wow factor) plus all the excitement of the common birds that visit my garden on a regular basis ie Greattits, Coaltits, bluetits I think they are building a nest in my garden, Wrens, blackbirds, starlings (hundreds) Sparrows, Magpies, Jays and occassionally Sparrowhawks, Rooks & Crows.

Sadly I have a problem with neighbours cats, they seem to think I feed the birds for their bellies. I was advised to try moth balls to keep the cats away, and one in particular is very brazen, he is not scared of my sons two Japanese Akita's - so moth balls are not much of a challenge. Any other suggestions? The birds still keep coming I am very happy to say and to watch them is awesome. I was beginning to think the only place I could view these birds is at the local RSPB site. Thankfully not! Home is much closer and more environmentally friendlier than driving to the RSPB site, although it's still a fantastic place to visit.

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04/04/2008 at 15:30

I feed the birds regularly using a hi-energy, no mess food, I get less 'weed growth' that way. This year, for the first time, we have gold finches so I have invested in a nyjer feeder and seed to encourage them. I would love to see a wood pecker but no joy. We have three cats but they can't get at my feeders and spend most of the day asleep.

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04/04/2008 at 17:07

I remember reading somewhere (and my own observations have confirmed this) that it's safer to have a lot of birds in the garden than solitary ones & twos, as there are more pairs of eyes to watch out for predators. Sadly, some will always fall prey to cats, but putting out food to attract large numbers does seem to be safer. Hope that is helpful, Roy.

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04/04/2008 at 21:06

I too spotted a pair of Goldfinch in my garden on Monday of this week. Its a first for me in my 'wildlife garden' on the North Coast of Northern Ireland. What a lovely surprise when I looked out the window to see them bathing at the edge of my small pond. Fantastic.

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04/04/2008 at 21:35

We have Goldfinches in abundance also Siskins both of course love the nyger seed and sunflower hearts. I have recently planted four Alder trees as both the above birds love the seed from the small cones. To-day the 3rd April I have noticed fewer coming to the feeders I think they other things on their minds!! From S Roulston from the Lleyn Peninsula in North Wales.

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04/04/2008 at 22:00

I live in surrey and I have been in my flat now for seven months, its taken a while to tackle the overgrown mess, it is starting to show some great potential with some hard work however. I have been feeding the wild birds since moving in (my african grey now mimics their calls) but my problem is the squirrels and the neighbours cats also-I don't want to exclude the squirrels I just wish they'd leave some food for the birds.I have 3 robins and 3 pairs of blackbirds, blue tits and some great tits and another regular is a fox. Any suggestions welcome.

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05/04/2008 at 19:22

This isn't meant to shock but I put my scent down around the garden well diluted and it does deter cats, its noticeable that the cats go through the gardens either side of ours, I am a Garden Birdwatcher for BTO, so the last thing I want is cats roaming through.

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06/04/2008 at 06:33

If you have the time you should try a water pistol, cats really hate getting wet and it's not harmful to them, after a while they should get the message.

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06/04/2008 at 12:03

The wildlife in the garden is now in abundance with the usual inflow of birds with blue tits, great tits, wrens, with no shortage of sparrows and starlings. I also noticed that a jackdaw has begun building a nest in a neighbours chimney pot, luckily the neighbour informs me that the said chimney is no longer in use and is blocked off. Will keep a watch on this. Blue tits are nesting in the nest boxes on the garage and the garden itself is covered in snow this morning. the sun is shining and the snow is fast disappearing though.

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07/04/2008 at 08:50

I have had 2 pairs of gold finches in my front garden nearly all winter. Why I cannot work out, my back garden is where the fields, bushes and trees are. Although my front garden has a pond and about 20 shrubs I suppose that is where their food is? I am very pleased as they are probably one of my favourite birds.

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07/04/2008 at 12:09

What a joy it is to watch the wildlife in your garden. We have had Goldfinches since last year when they bought their young to feed. Now we have Long Tailed Tits feeding on fat balls every day. On the problem of cats, I have the cat scarers as advised by the RSPB which do keep the cats away.

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16/04/2008 at 01:03

You're all showing off..(wink) I've been trying to entice birds into my garden for months, with i assume, no joy. That is to say, they may be visiting when I am at work. However I did have my 1st two at the weekend... a cheeky wood pidgeon, who somehow sat in my hanging bird station (this is triangular with a mesh tray in the middle)and a crow. Still if any of the other birds saw them they may realise there is food there. But i will not be beaten, come 2 come all I say.

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18/04/2008 at 09:37

I have many interesting birds in my garden, as we back onto fields & marsh. But the one I love most is a Pheasant, I call him Rodger. When I put food out I call him and he runs across the field. Last year he came into my garden with his mate and five young. He even sits on the bird table. Only thing is he wakes us up in the morning with his call, waiting for his food.

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20/04/2008 at 18:22

I love looking at all the birds that visit my garden. The woodpeckers, finches, pheasant and even the heron that seems to visit my pond but thankfully not taking any of my fish. The only bird that annoys me is the pigeons that make a horrible song (if you want to call it a song) in the morning.

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30/04/2008 at 17:58

I had lived in my previous house for 16years without seeing a goldfinch, I then started to put out nijer seed in the special feeders, it took 6 months to attract them but I ended up with at least 10, I then had to move house and a neighbour said that they would carry on feeding them, I now live out in the sticks, and with nijer seed and aniseed table mix as well as black sunflower seeds and nuts and fat balls, I enjoy the gold finches, wood peckers long tailed tits and at least a dozen yellow hammers, so never give up, they will find the food in the end. I also have three cats and agree that there is safety in numbers.

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30/04/2008 at 19:09

Each year I keep a tally of how many types of birds visit my garden Oct- March This year the total was 19 the last time so many was 1997 !!!!

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01/05/2008 at 08:21

We have squirrels as well and they eat alot of the peanuts and sunflower seeds we put out. BUT when they have had their full the blue-tits, great-tits,at al come along for their feed. They all seem to get along harmoniously; each having their turn. We try to make our garden welcoming for all wildlife, although the occasional cat does get a ferocious stare and fierce hand-clapping from me; that most often works and the cat cowers and slinks away.

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01/05/2008 at 10:28

I have never seen a Goldfinch before, but 2-3 weeks ago 2 arrived in my garden (in Rayleigh, Essex) to feed on the nut feeder that is hanging in my tree. I checked on the internet to see what they were, as I didn't recognise them - they are really beautiful birds.

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01/05/2008 at 11:25

I have a flock of about 8 gold finches that come for the Nyjer seed and it is very amusing watching them arguing that it is their turn next.

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01/05/2008 at 15:06

We have a good sized garden in Heren Bay with 20 trees including a sesile oak and this spring have noticed several goldfinches in the oak tree, they are unmistakable,