Niger Seed Shortage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello All :)
I went to one of our local Wild Bird Habitat stores yesterday and picked up the usual amount of everything...except niger seed. I usually just get 5 lbs a week, but became panicked when I read their newsletter they put out for all their customers every month which stated there is a niger seed shortage.
So, I asked the lady who works there if I could get a few bags...she said the most she could give me was 2-5 lb bags because they only had 100 lbs delivered this week! I'm like...OMG!
So I went down the street and checked the supply at a few places...
Orchelin had lots...2 skids with bags as tall as me...but the price went up to $39.99 for 20 lbs. I don't get our seed there, I just compared to see what the flow of seed was...
Then I went to another Wild Bird Habitat store and they aren't really up on the latest news...they don't hand out newsletters either.
Anyhoo, I checked their supply of fresh niger seed and they only had 4-"25" lb bags left for $32.50. I grabbed 3 and left one (being nice...I really wanted to grab all for that bargain price!!!!
So between the 3-25 lb bags and the 2-5 lb bags...got 85 lbs yesterday...Whew!
Even with an average of 60-80 Goldfinches, and going through 5-7 lbs a week, we should be fine through June...Whew!
Here's a link to what was written up in our local paper today about it...
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2009/03/02/news/local/doc49ab28e5c293b491379955.txt

YEEIKES!!! "Until the end of March OR April"

Thanks for the heads up :>) I'll start to stock up too
Christine

I use niger seed, but here they really eat more of the BOSS. And once the natural food supply is up and going they are not around the yard that much. So at least that is one thing I don't have to put on my worry list!

This message was edited Mar 3, 2009 10:58 AM

Nanny,

You're lucky...we've been averaging 60-80 Goldfinches on a daily basis here. They won't touch the BOSS here. I put that in 2 trays...a ground feeder and a hanging feeder that the Cardinals and House finches use. When there is one or 2 of the Goldfinches that land on that feeder look to see the seeds there, they turn around and fly off to the niger seed.
I guess it's all based on location...
For example, some people feed their squirrels fruit and they eat it...
Our 6 squirrels won't even look at the fruit I've attempted to put out...apples, raisins and grapes...and I'd make sure I put them out on days they didn't become frozen blocks either. Guess someday experts will be able to figure that out :)

Hi Susan,That's very interesting I hadn't heard of that before. Thanks for telling us!

I'll put a link to this thread in the Bird Watching forum. Thanks again.

I had many gold finches here a couple of weeks ago, but last weekend I only saw two. I'm continuing to provide niger. Do the gold finches migrate? I wonder why I had such a huge drop in activity at my feeders recently.

Thanks. Sarah

Hello Helen :)
Glad to help and pass the info!

Hello Sarah,

Yes, they do migrate...most of them. They usually go as far south as needed for food sources...
For example, here in Nebraska we probably have been having Goldfinches from Canada and the Dakotas...and you might have had them that were from here. Don't quote me, and I'm not an expert, but it's more localized than say RT Hummingbirds migrate...does that make sense?
They should be starting to wear their bright yellow coats soon too :)

I'd love to have them here year round. When I lived in Missouri, I had them during the summer. Maybe they only spend the winter here? Too bad since I recently stocked up on niger. Oh well. I'll continue to put it out for any straggglers. Interestingly, I've found that the white winged doves love niger. I have tons of those. If I can't feed it to the gold finches, I'll offer it to the doves!

Sarah

I'm sure you'll still get more Goldfinches for awhile coming out of Mexico...
Here's an addy from wiki...at the very beginning it explains the migratory habits of the Goldfinches...which is better than my explaination :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Goldfinch

Guess I am liucky...We will easily have up to a hundred a day in the winter...get to enjoy the in their natural enviorment in the summer.