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You're correct.. they are year around birds in ND. However...is this a new feeder or the first time you've put one up at your location? Because I just put up a feeder too, and I had a House Finch scoping it out for over a week before he got gutsy enough to land on it this evening. Keep looking...they're there! I also kept my blinds closed to eliminate the amount of inside activity he could see and I think that helped.
I am willing to bet you are seeing a House Finch as they are year-round there. He has a great beautiful song, and when startled his song becomes just one sharp note repeated. That is what I have at the feeder..and they have recently learned that the cats are behind glass and have started to taunt their feline stalkers.
What kind of seed and feeder are you using? I didn't know what kind of birds to expect here so I bought a generalize seed,....and those birds trash through the entire feeder...throwing ever seed onto the ground to get to the sunflowers. They like that and nyger which is crazy expensive!
Bird books! Go to the book store in the mall..they have a great pocket style book usually at their register..if I remember right it has a yellow cover with a red-winged black bird on the cover. Cash Wise grocery store has them as well!
Yes...that's it, a house finch!
I have a standard thistle seed feeder...which attracts finches. I have come to the conclusion...that there are just no golden finches around here yet.
If you go to Fleet Farm...you can purchase black oil(?) seed and thistle for a great price. When they are on sale, the prices are unbeatable.
Dang.... no Fleet Farm down here!! Guess I'll have to suck it up and pay the $15 for the teeeeny bag! I also put up a Hummingbird feeder this evening... we'll see how it goes! Fingers crossed!
Another thing, this time of the year, there's enough other things out there to eat so they're not so dependant on birdfeeders. In the middle of winter the siskins & house finches, and in late winter red-polls, house finches & siskins would empty my thistle feeder in about 4 hours. Now it takes over a week...the siskens & a few house finches are still around, but the red-polls have already headed north. Goldfinches should be here in a week or two. I don't generally have them here year 'round....Just spring & fall into early winter. Actually, I think I read somewhere that the ones we get in early winter are from further north and start heading back that way in Feb or so.
Saw my first male goldfinch of the spring just now checking out the birdfeeders. Heard some yesterday when I was working in the yard a bit, but it was off in the distance so I didn't see them. I should ask the neighbor 3 doors down...sounded like they were over in that area, & he also has a bunch of birdfeeders.....
He says he's had goldfinches for 4 days or so. He's listed over 40 species already this month. I really should get back to keeping track, too....I used to, but....
I did see my first house wren today, too. He's not seen them yet this year.
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