<html><head></head><body><div class="yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:bookman old style, new york, times, serif;font-size:16px;"><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Dear Tweeters,</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">When I lived in Skagit County, I bought most of my bird seed at Fred Meyer. They'd have huge bags of black-oil sunflower at a price usually a bit lower than other stores. At times, they'd have it on sale for even less.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">I must admit, the last time I shopped at my local Fred Meyer in Burlington, the service was so abysmally shoddy that I vowed never to go back. That was not too hard, since I knew that I was moving to NY State in a few weeks, anyway.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Sometimes I would splurge and get seed at Skagit Wild Bird Supply on Memorial Highway, just west of Mount Vernon. They had a mix called something like "Skagit Blend." It was good stuff, but often rather expensive. I could usually rationalize spending that extra bit, because they there was a good chance they would have a few interesting birds at their feeders, including American Goldfinches, which can be hard to find in wintertime in Skagit County.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">The bird seed at Costco in Burlington seemed to vary. I had bought some there about 20 years ago, and it was very poor quality--not just white millet, but a lot of the useless red millet. A couple of years ago, I got some there on a whim, and it was much improved. There was either no red millet, or just a trace. I had chickens, so I didn't mind having a little seed that the wild birds didn't like. The chickens would take care of any leftovers. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">White millet is fine by me--juncos like it. It's not as good as black-oil sunflower, but I think it's a good bird seed for some species.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">I had so many Red-winged Blackbirds at my feeders that it didn't really matter what sort of seed I got. They'd even eat the nyjer seed when I'd splurge on that. Quantity was more important than quality.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Another good spot for bird seed was Skagit Farm Supply. I would often buy seed at their Sedro-Woolley store, and sometimes at the Burlington one. They'd have suet on sale sometimes for a good price. </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Now I'm here in Chautauqua County, New York, and I buy virtually all of my seed at the Audubon Community Nature Center. Their Conewango Blend is quite good--not that you could get it anywhere near Washington State!</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Happy New Year.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Yours truly,</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Gary Bletsch</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div></div></body></html>