I moved the
white sock containing black thistle seeds to the post near the breakfast room window, atop
which sits the now empty robin nest. In order to do that I moved the hanging planter of Verbena and Petunias to where the sock hung. I also had a sock filled with black thistle hung throughout the winter from which the finches will not eat. I emptied the overwintered sock onto the round patio table in a mound of seed. I am curious to see if the finches will go through these seeds now that the seeds are easily accessible. I shook out all of the seeds and turned the sock inside out removing every last seed. For photographs, the stark white sock is too extreme for the exposures. I will try to dye the sock brown with tea or coffee then buy some thistle seeds and refill the dyed sock.
I boiled water, placed a tea bag into a stainless steel bowl and submerged the sock. It doesn't seem to be taking the tea stain. I also placed about a tablespoon of white vinegar into the bowl as a mordant as done with easter egg dyes. I will leave the sock submerged overnight. If the sock has not accepted the stain by then I will add my coffee grounds to the bowl. If neither of those work, I will spray paint the sock.
I have seen gold finches on the sock but have not had the opportunity to photography any there. I did capture house finches at the bird bath. The house finches do not feed from the sock nor do chickadees, nut hatches or titmice.
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| Male and Female House Finches at bird bath |
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| Close up of Male House Finch at bird bath |
