Experience is often the best teacher. Sit down class and take some notes...A few years ago I was introduced to a new style of feeder for finches. I had tried the fancy plastic tubes, wire cages, and blocks of hardened seed to entice these beautiful golden and black ornaments of the trees, down to my yard for a bite to eat. I had spent tens of dollars experimenting with variations, placement, new seed, etc. with little to no success. Enter; the nylon "sock."
I was drawn to the simple solution while patronizing the Havegard Outlet store outside of Sturgeon Bay, WI as I looked at a photo of a curious white bag on the wall behind the cash register, positively decorated with birds. $ 3.99 later, I walked out with my new feeder in the palm of my hand, wondering if I would suffer buyer's remorse. Fast forward a week later, feeder filled with fresh Nyjer thistle seed, the sock did not disappoint. It was if the thing had a magnet in it and goldfinches had suddenly become ferrously attracted. I was astounded and pleased. I needed MORE of these wonderful little devices at once!
Unfortunately, a 2-hour car ride was not in the cards, so I did the next best thing; I shopped locally for more socks. What I found was encouraging and decoratively pleasing as well. The socks I found even had decoys painted on them! - What could be better? I purchased
one of these and excitedly filled and hung the new birdy lure with anticipation. What I discovered soon after was that my new "prize" just did not have the same effect on 
the finches. In fact, they snubbed it and it's colorful drawing of a cousin or sibling, by ignoring it altogether. Hmmm? What was this?! Were they offended by the crude representation of their proud species? Was the whole idea being spurned due to a technical coloration faux pas? Whatever the reason, I was dejected and took the thing down ASAP vowing never to attempt to fool mother nature again. What I did not realize until an "AH-HAH" moment a year later, was that it had nothing to do with the painting, color, image, at all. What the big problem actually was, had to do with the size of the openings in the weave of the fabric. The seed simply could not be extracted by the birds! Who knew? Sure, a squirrel could rip through the fabric and obtain all the seed it wanted rendering the bag useless, but a tiny bird?
one of these and excitedly filled and hung the new birdy lure with anticipation. What I discovered soon after was that my new "prize" just did not have the same effect on 
the finches. In fact, they snubbed it and it's colorful drawing of a cousin or sibling, by ignoring it altogether. Hmmm? What was this?! Were they offended by the crude representation of their proud species? Was the whole idea being spurned due to a technical coloration faux pas? Whatever the reason, I was dejected and took the thing down ASAP vowing never to attempt to fool mother nature again. What I did not realize until an "AH-HAH" moment a year later, was that it had nothing to do with the painting, color, image, at all. What the big problem actually was, had to do with the size of the openings in the weave of the fabric. The seed simply could not be extracted by the birds! Who knew? Sure, a squirrel could rip through the fabric and obtain all the seed it wanted rendering the bag useless, but a tiny bird? 
So, take (learn) it from me...buy larger weave socks and enjoy your finches!
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