In a message dated 97-12-10 04:17:24 EST Cliff Drake wrote:

<< I was also going to mention that the combination Christmas ornaments/bird
feeders are up on Market Street trees in Ballard. Shocks of wheat or some
grain tied with a red ribbon. The sparrows love 'em! >>

Here in Kent, I have one feeder that I fill with "Nature's Mix" (from Costco),
which is primarily millet (white and red), as well as black sunflower and
broken peanuts. This feeder attracts mainly sparrows and some house finches,
and the stuff they toss on the ground attracts additional house sparrows. I
have tried ground feeding hard winter wheat, but none of the ground feeders
(sparrows, juncos, occasional white and golden crowned sparrows) go near it.
Do the Ballard sparrows prefer their wheat in "natures" package? If my memory
serves me correctly, when I worked in wheat harvest many years ago, the
sparrows over there roamed the barns, vehicles, etc., for thrashed wheat
kernels, and the farmers hated the birds. Has anyone had success in feeding
wheat kernels in the Puget Sound region? Hard wheat usually has 12% or
greater protein content, and is cheaper than other bird seed.


Jim Brewster
Kent Washington