Toehee?

jmcquown

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Jul 10, 2022, 8:18:29 AM7/10/22

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I think that's what this is:

https://i.postimg.cc/wxRtSFhf/toehee.jpg

There were two of them hanging around yesterday so I scattered some seed
on the patio.

Jill in Southern South Carolina

Leon Fisk

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Jul 10, 2022, 8:39:35 AM7/10/22

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Yup, I would agree with that being a Towhee. Nice picture too 🙂

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI

jmcquown

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Jul 10, 2022, 8:54:48 AM7/10/22

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Thanks, Leon! (thanks for the spelling correction, too). There have
been a lot of interesting birds around lately.

I ordered a couple of thistle socks. I'm hoping to see some
goldfinches. I know they are around but they like very specific
thistle/niger seed. We'll see what happens when I hang those. :)

Leon Fisk

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Jul 10, 2022, 9:14:56 AM7/10/22

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On Sun, 10 Jul 2022 08:54:26 -0400
jmcquown <j_mc...@comcast.net> wrote:

<snip>

>I ordered a couple of thistle socks. I'm hoping to see some
>goldfinches. I know they are around but they like very specific
>thistle/niger seed. We'll see what happens when I hang those. :)

Haven't had any thistle seed out for a very long time... Goldfinch
around here are more than happy to chow down on Blackoil Sunflower
seed. I usually have to shoo them away from the feeder off/on to give
the Chickadees a chance to swoop in and grab a seed or two😉

songbird

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Jul 14, 2022, 9:05:37 AM7/14/22

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Leon Fisk wrote:
...

> Haven't had any thistle seed out for a very long time... Goldfinch
> around here are more than happy to chow down on Blackoil Sunflower
> seed. I usually have to shoo them away from the feeder off/on to give
> the Chickadees a chance to swoop in and grab a seed or two😉

goldfinches also like the mullein stalks and chickory.

personally i'd never put out thistle seeds unless they're
roasted or killed somehow. thistles are such a tough pest/weed
in the yard and gardens. we have fields around us with thistles
in them that the farmers do not manage and so it is constantly
being brought into our yard/gardens. :(

songbird

Leon Fisk

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Jul 14, 2022, 10:15:25 AM7/14/22

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On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 08:30:05 -0400
songbird <song...@anthive.com> wrote:

<snip>

>personally i'd never put out thistle seeds unless they're
>roasted or killed somehow. thistles are such a tough pest/weed
>in the yard and gardens. we have fields around us with thistles
>in them that the farmers do not manage and so it is constantly
>being brought into our yard/gardens. :(

"Supposedly" the stuff being sold to us for bird feed has been treated
so it won't grow...

jmcquown

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Jul 14, 2022, 4:19:02 PM7/14/22

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Yep, the thistle/nyjer seed sold as bird feed has been treated. I'm
more concerned about squirrels getting at/ripping open the "thistle
sock" before the goldfinches figure out it's there.

Squirrels are why my regular seed feeder is a Brome Squirrel Buster
feeder. It really works to keep them from eating all the seed. (I
don't begrudge them snacking on what falls on the ground and the patio.)

I may just invest in one of the Brome Thistle Feeders if I do start
seeing goldfinches again. :)