kevin
Senior Member
Posts: 123
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Post by kevin on Apr 26, 2019 15:53:54 GMT
i know this might sound like a silly question but what are the best seeds for feeding. I ask this because I find garden birds don’t seem to like the seed you buy from pound shops. Any advice will be appreciated.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 26, 2019 16:00:43 GMT
Only seed I order our birds is sunflower hearts, Every bird likes them finches, sparrows, tits, everything really. I would recommend buying off Ebay off sellers, Sunflower hearts by mine retail at £2.50 per KG On Ebay I get 20KG for just £22.99 with free next day delivery, If I was to buy this in the shops at 1kg bags it would cost me £50. The seller I used on Ebay is very good been using them for around 6 years now. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20kg-Sunflower-Hearts-Wild-Bird-Food-PREMIUM-BAKERY-GRADE-Dehulled-Kernels-Seeds/230913605734You could start off with a 1kg bag for £2.50 but once the birds start using it it will be gone fast believe me  I go through 20KG sacks in less than a month here, normally need a new sack every 2 and half / 3 weeks. I have 4 feeders with sunflower hearts in, then I have a place in the garden I like to call the "Fat Tree" this as got my fatball feeders, my suet blocks, my suet pellets in etc everything suet related stays in this tree. |
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kevin
Senior Member
Posts: 123
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Post by kevin on Apr 26, 2019 17:35:28 GMT
Thanks Paul for the great advice.  |
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Post by Amanda on Apr 26, 2019 17:50:58 GMT
I use sunflower hearts, niger seed and flutter butter, which the robins, coal tits and blue tits absolutely adore. I have some rspb half coconuts too
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kevin
Senior Member
Posts: 123
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Post by kevin on Apr 26, 2019 17:59:41 GMT
I use sunflower hearts, niger seed and flutter butter, which the robins, coal tits and blue tits absolutely adore. I have some rspb half coconuts too Amanda thanks for the advice most helpful. |
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Post by YorksherLass on May 3, 2019 9:11:45 GMT
Great news & I hope that lot hasn't made a massive hole in your finances, so that you & your wife are on bread & water for days!  Your garden looks great still - can't wait to see it again when you've extended your lawn as you mentioned.
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kevin
Senior Member
Posts: 123
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Post by kevin on May 3, 2019 10:37:01 GMT
Great news & I hope that lot hasn't made a massive hole in your finances, so that you & your wife are on bread & water for days! Your garden looks great still - can't wait to see it again when you've extended your lawn as you mentioned.
Hi Diane thanks for the nice comments. Our garden is starting to take shape and once the lawn is extended i will post some pictures. |
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kevin
Senior Member
Posts: 123
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Post by kevin on May 7, 2019 13:16:19 GMT
Hi since purchasing and using the sunflower hearts, I have noticed all the birds that come to visit simply love them. |
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Post by elle on May 7, 2019 14:24:46 GMT
I also find that the robins, Gts, BT’s and finches absolutely love the sunflower hearts. I must admit my birds do like the seed, I also put the flavoured suets out & fat balls.
Elle
xx
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kevin
Senior Member
Posts: 123
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Post by kevin on May 7, 2019 14:29:08 GMT
I also find that the robins, Gts, BT’s and finches absolutely love the sunflower hearts. I must admit my birds do like the seed, I also put the flavoured suets out & fat balls. Elle xx Hi Elle I put the fat balls out but I must buy some flavoured suets. |
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 8, 2019 13:58:16 GMT
The birds will love the sunflower hearts Kevin,
Its the only seed I feed in my garden to be honest cause all the birds like it.
Better to buy in bulk on Ebay rather than in shops or on "bird sites" who charge ridiculous prices because who they are.
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Post by matt on Oct 12, 2020 15:04:07 GMT
Only seed I order our birds is sunflower hearts, Every bird likes them finches, sparrows, tits, everything really. I just want to say that I followed your advice, Paul, and bought 20kg of sunflower hearts off eBay. The birds absolutely love them!! I can't believe the number of goldfinches that have been on the feeder since I put those in - we have a flock around pretty much all day now, all trying to get on the sunflower hearts and only going back to the njyer seeds if there isn't enough room for them to get on the sunflower hearts! Bluetits and great tits are loving them, too. I had always bought the normal sort of mixed seeds before, and the only birds that really liked those were the sparrows. I was wondering how I would ever get through 20kg of these sunflower hearts, but the rate they are eating them now I think it won't be a problem. Should still last the winter though I hope. |
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Post by WildlifePaul on Oct 12, 2020 15:37:23 GMT
They all love them Matt, I use 20kg a month here with our birds.
During summer when lots of baby birds are around its normally around 30kg a month, The finches love them.
You'll notice more and more birds using your feeders now aswell!
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Post by YorksherLass on Oct 13, 2020 14:32:34 GMT
So sorry to put a damper on this about sunflower hearts, but years ago my Big Bruv (Scribe on old forum) told me exactly the same thing, so we bought some & put them in a new container, still keeping the ordinary bird seed in its container. Six months later, even after changing the hearts regularly which had been completely untouched - we gave up.  |
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Post by matt on Oct 13, 2020 15:38:39 GMT
Strange one Diane! I've never had a seed mix as popular as just the plain sunflower hearts that I bought recently. Maybe something was up with the ones you bought?
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Post by WildlifePaul on Oct 13, 2020 15:50:44 GMT
Like Matt said Diane, That is strange, The birds adore them!
I changed to only sunflower hearts 5 years ago now, This video below was when I started getting loads of goldfinches over the sunflower hearts.
I must get a new feeder video to be honest, We have way more birds these days.
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Post by YorksherLass on Oct 14, 2020 10:27:06 GMT
 Matt & Paul - my Big Bruv said exactly the same as you two, he couldn't understand it either. We bought them from eBay too as he also recommended that place - so I decided that our blue & great tit birds must have no taste buds! We don't get the other birds you mention, just the above, sparrows & robins - even the starlings deserted us when they discovered Gregg's sausage rolls were tastier! 
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Post by WildlifePaul on Oct 15, 2020 9:38:02 GMT
Matt & Paul - my Big Bruv said exactly the same as you two, he couldn't understand it either. We bought them from eBay too as he also recommended that place - so I decided that our blue & great tit birds must have no taste buds! We don't get the other birds you mention, just the above, sparrows & robins - even the starlings deserted us when they discovered Gregg's sausage rolls were tastier! Must admit diane this give me a laugh! |
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Post by YorksherLass on Oct 15, 2020 15:44:02 GMT
Yes, unfortunatley (for my bird watching & feeding in the garden) Greggs have a store very near to us, so tons of starlings hang around the place everyday, waiting for bits to fall off the sausage rolls as people walk by eating them. I have more sense & we buy ours & bring them home to eat in peace as we love them & before you ask - NO - I'm not sharing mine even if the starlings came back. Going back many years, I told my husband that I'm very sorry, but I don't love him enough to give him my last Rolo as per the TV advert & that still applies! |
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Post by steveear on Oct 28, 2021 14:40:34 GMT
I created a Finch Feeder to attract sparrows to my yard. After many observations, I have found that he will prefer fresh black seeds to other bird foods. They always choose plants with a deep black color, like the plantain tree or the black oil sunflower. They ignore the brown and aged ones. I discovered that it’s best to buy seeds that the birds can consume within less than a month. |
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Post by chapmankieran on Mar 25, 2022 18:37:31 GMT
I think each type of bird will have its own set of favorite seeds. Let's see what kind of birds are you have in your garden. I have consulted a list of nuts for specific birds. I bought one of them to try and it worked, I was able to attract more birds with my food. You can check it out here: birdingdepot.com/best-bird-seed/. I hope it would be useful for you. |
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I go through 20KG sacks in less than a month here, normally need a new sack every 2 and half / 3 weeks. 
Matt & Paul - my Big Bruv said exactly the same as you two, he couldn't understand it either. We bought them from eBay too as he also recommended that place - so I decided that our blue & great tit birds must have no taste buds! We don't get the other birds you mention, just the above, sparrows & robins - even the starlings deserted us when they discovered Gregg's sausage rolls were tastier! 
