On the first full day of the Great Seed Experiment, I sat by my window for the full day, taking notes on what I saw. The seed was out where the birds normally got fed, so it was just a matter of them learning about the new buffet style offering!

To start with, at 12 noon I put out 2 cups each of thistle, boss, cracked corn, seed mix, and shelled seeds, plus fresh water. You can see the seed selections here.

12:25 - 2 chipping sparrows on empty feeder

1:00 - 2 grackles, cowbird, dove all nearby. Red winged blackbird on ground.

1:15 - Cowbird, nuthatch nearby

1:30 - Hummingbird on back porch

2:00 - Still no known birds at table. Female red breasted grosbeak on ground.

2:15 - My first table visitor - the red breasted grosbeak! Tried shelled seeds, then boss. Then squirrel came and scared him off. Squirrel liked boss.

2:30 - Squirrel back. Titmouse to side. Titmouse grabbed shelled seeds. Squirrel loves BOSS. Chipping sparrow near. Goldfinch near. 2 nuthatches near. Now 2 goldfinch near. I scared off squirrel.

2:45 - 2 chipping sparrows near. Eating remnants from other seed in empty feeder, not looking down at table.

2:55 - Titmouse likes mixed seed and BOSS. Ran off with seed. Came back for shelled seed, flew off.

3:00 - Cowbird on empty feeder. Squirrel back at BOSS. Maybe if I let squirrel fill up he'll leave. Wonder if he can eat all 2 cups. Cowbird wanted to land but was afraid of squirrel. I shooed squirrel off.

3:10 - Nuthatch on upper feeder. Didn't look down.

3:15 - Titmouse back for more shelled seed few times. Pair of eastern towhees hopped around in grass. Chipmunk foraged below. Squirrel off to side.

3:20 - Squirrel back. He goes right past other seed to get to BOSS. Titmouse back, goes past other seed for shelled seed. I scared off squirrel.

3:30 - Now there are 2 squirrels. sigh.

3:45 - Downy on empty feeder. Very annoyed that it's empty. flew off. titmouse now hanging out on shelled seed.

4:00 - Red winged blackbird couple came near but was spooked off. At least 2 titmice now. Hit BOSS. Then mixed. Then shelled. Mixed again, jumping right over cracked corn to get to it. BOSS. boss. Scared squirrel off. Nuthatch and chipping sparrow to side. Grackle too.

4:10 - chipping sparrow below. Titmice very active. They hit: shelled, mixed, shelled, shelled, shelled, shelled. They hopped right past corn and thistle to get to it.

4:20 - Grackle scared off despite me trying to hide.

4:25 - Nuthatch on empty feeder. Eastern towhee back below, calling out per-kwEEP! and hopping in the seeds.

4:30 - Male and female cowbirds on feeder. Brown (female house?) finch went STRAIGHT for thistle and hung out!

4:45 - Titmouse hit mixed, shelled, then BOSS seeds. Two titmice were on a branch next to the house and one saw me, so I leant back so he couldn't. He hopped forward to see me. I leant further back. He craned his head forward to peek at me. I leant back. He hopped forward one final time then flew off. Too cute!

4:50 - Grackle back and off, female towhee in grass. Titmouse likes the shelled seeds.

5:00 - Titmouse back on branch, chirping to me, peering in open window (I opened the window including screen so I could get clear photos). He decides not to come in. Appears to be a baby, when another titmouse comes by he starts puffing up and calling for food. I stick my head out the window and realize there are 6 titmice in the tree right next to the window, mostly babies. No wonder the titmice have been so active!

5:10 - A blue jay comes by but flies off again. Titmouse hit shelled seed, BOSS, mixed seed. Grackle came & went.

5:20 - Titmice hit shelled and BOSS.

5:30 - A chipmunk came and ate the cracked corn! Finally, someone likes it!

5:45 - Little chipping sparrow on tree. Another larger one on grass.

6:00 - Chipping sparrow beneath on grass. 2 nuthatches on empty feeder. One titmouse on empty feeder.

Notes from Day 2
Results by Bird

Main Page of the Great Seed Experiment
The Seeds Used