The Meadow Pipit

Last week a number of these small birds were running around the grassy area next to our house and I guessed - and I'm now rather more certain - that they were meadow pipits. They're no longer running around, all but one having moved on to the upland areas where they're going to spend their summer. This one has been left behind and....

....has come to live in our garden. It spends much of its time with the sparrows who, rather unusually, seem to tolerate it, but what interests me is that it's adopted a sparrow diet. Meadow pipits are supposed to be insect eaters - hence the thin, sharp beak - but this one is obviously adaptable and, because there's plenty of seed around, is doing rather well.

My worry is the it's a bit naive, running around in the open, and rather slow to dive into a bush when an alarm is called, so I'm rather afraid that it may become a sparrowhawk meal.

We saw one of these yesterday. Each time a goldfinch appears - and, fortunately, they only appear occasionally - my blood pressure goes up because I've invested in a large packet of niger to try to persuade them into the garden, and they've consistently ignored my generosity. None of the other birds seem interested so.... has anyone any suggestions for an alternative use for niger?