Garden Visitors

[dave]

Has anyone noticed an increase in Goldfinch comming to feeders? They're fast becoming the the most numerous bird in my garden. I catch and ring them but dont get many retraps so they're either transiting or i've got a big population in the area!

[paj]

dave

I haven't been feeding during the summer but I have Goldfinches in and over the garden all year round.
In fact during the spring and summer their twittering flight call can be heard virtually all the time as parties fly over the garden.
They certainly seem to be increasing in numbers.

paj

[IanF]

Up until Summer we had may be 20 birds a day on the feeders. Through Summer we have still had half a dozen everyday, but in the countryside nearby, they have been one of the commonest birds this year. No doubt they will return to the garden in greater numbers once the weather turns again.
I'd have to say that we have seen far more of them this year too.

[burhinus]

Goldfinch numbers have increased in the Brecks over the last few years. They do seem to be coming into gardens more and more. Sunflower Hearts and Niger Seed seem to be their favourites.

Picked up an interesting tip for those who grow Teasels. When the Goldfinch have cleared out the seed heads keep the topped up with Niger Seed. A re-usable natural feeder!

burhinus

[WingedOne]

Hi! Could you please explain this part of the post for me:

*Picked up an interesting tip for those who grow Teasels. When the Goldfinch have cleared out the seed heads keep the topped up with Niger Seed. A re-usable natural feeder!*

What is a Teasel?
What does this mean: *When the Goldfinch have cleared out the seed heads keep the topped up with Niger Seed*
And how is that a re-usalbe feeder?



:bounce:
thank you

[IanF]

Hi Wings,

Teasel is a wild flower, the seeds of which are particularly attractive to our Golfinches. which have long pointed beaks. Niger seed is an alternative food source of similarly sized seeds. During the last century, the dried teasel heads which are thistle like and have hooks on the ends, were used in the textile trade for 'carding' the fibres straight.
http://www.fototime.com/{6BBBB882-CA4F-11D6-9302-444553540000}/picture.JPG
Nowadays they are grown in gardens as an ornamemntal plant. Once the Golfinches have stripped the heads of seeds, you can sprinkle niger seeds over the heads, so the birds will return to feed off them, they don't damage the seed heads, just pick out the seeds. My experience is it's great for taking photos, but the patent niger feeders are more practical for feeding. This link is very informative.
All about teasels (http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/edu/VMG/teasel.html)

[HelenB]

While birding in Cumbria last week we saw about 100 goldfinches flocking together, feeding on knapweed seed heads (Centaurea nigra - flowers similar to thistle). This was on the Smardale Gill Nature Reserve near Kirby Stephen - one of our favourite walks.

[IanF]

Hi Helen,
Sounds like you had a great trip over here. I was out yesterday and saw the flocking Goldies, but only about 50 or so, still a remarkable sight. I think that they must be gathering together as a prelude to their wintering in Spain.
Quite a few still remain here to overwinter and many of them frequent the garden feeders. We had groups over over 20 each day last Winter.

[WingedOne]

Hi Ian!

Thanks for your reply and the information about Teasel.

I just ordered my backyard (or front) planning kit from the Wildlife Federation. I have a small yard, but it is mostly landscaped with decorative bark and rocks. The kit should help me decide on particular native garden plants that attract various wildlife and of course birds. If my yard qualifies for certification, it could be declared a wildlife habitat. Now that is worth the try.

BTW: The board is beginning to take on a new character, as the membership grows. The colors are nice too.

Take care, and thanks very much.

^Wings^o:D

[Chicaddd]

I have noticed more goldfinches in my backyard. since I have not watched them elsewhere I just figured that the reason had to do with them becoming familiar with my feeders. I never thought about their population increasing.

[Andrew]

Wierd, today was the first time I saw a Goldfinch come into the garden and alight on the peanut block feeder, They had been in plenty of times before but not on the feeders. This one fed for five minutes then flew off a great distance so I do not expect it to come back reguarly.

[Medlock44]

Hi Dave. Goldfinches, are an infrequent visitor to our garden. I have only seen 2 or 3 in the past 6 months or so. Perhaps the type of natural food in each area is the controlling factor.

[Donna]

Hello to all. I've seen more goldfinch at the feeder this winter than in the two years previous, since we've been in our house here. They can clean out a thistle feeder in an afternoon...mighty expensive! They are so pretty, though. I love having them.

As for the teasel...Wings you might want to be careful planting it. If it's the same plant I think it is, it will spread...and spread...in your yard and your neighbors. It is quite a lovely plant when in bloom, but the prickers hurt! I live around a lot of pastures (for cows and horses) and it isn't a good thing to have mixed in with their food source. I understand that Niger seed is treated so it can't reproduce, making it safe to use in your yard.

Goldfinches love sunflowers also. They are so cute hanging upside down on a droopy sunflower head picking out the seeds.

Hope you succeed in making your yard a wildlife habitat!

Donna

[Rosah]

I have goldfinches coming to my feeders for the first time this winter. Yesterday I'm sure I had 100 or more as I counted 75 in one tree that I hang a lot of feeders around and saw others in different parts of the yard at the same time. They are getting quite used to me and only fly off a short way when I go out to fill the feeders, then come right back. They pose real nicely for pictures too.

[janie_may]

I, too, have seem my Goldfinches almost double this past two month. I have them year-round but lately I'm seeing 50 to 80 in my yard several times a day. I have two thistle feeders and three with black oil sunflower and a choice blend. They seem to like it all and are going through 10 pounds of thistle in about two weeks. Very expensive but I really do enjoy having them.

[BirdWatcher]

Numerous American Goldfinch this winter in southwestern NY State, too.

The numbers of Goldfinches at my backyard birdfeeders increases every winter over the summertime population .. but this year's winter Goldfinches do seem more than usual. It has also been a colder and snowier than normal winter here, too, which has probably decreased their natural food supplies.

Their favorite food in my yard is thistle (Niger), followed by Black Oil Sunflower Seed.

I also have some Teasel growing in my meadow that I keep in a natural state for the wild birds and animals. Only maintenance I do is to have it brush-hogged (mowed) every third year. But Teasel is not the same as Thistle, although their dried seed heads look similar, and the Thistle plants that grow here (northeast USA) are not the same type as the Thistle (Niger) we buy in the feed mills and birdseed stores, which is mainly imported.

BirdWatcher

[paula]

Although I get a large 'charm' of goldfinches (60/80 birds) coming to the knapweed when it has seeded at the end of August, I do not have many now. A few pairs come to clean up the teasels but none go on the specialised feeder. I have seen them on the peanut feeders and on the sunflower feeders.
Where do all the others from the 'charm' find their winter rations?

[Donna]

Does that mean that I can plant teasel and it won't hurt the pastures? Does it grow down south here in the US? I'd love just about anything that might make it through the heat and drought of the summers we've had lately....

DonnaA

[Tammie]

Are the goldfinches in the UK the same as the goldfinches in Canada? If so, I'm extremely jealous of you all! To have so many! I only get a few at my feeders in July. Seems like they're only here for a few weeks and then they're gone again. :-C

[IanF]

Hi Tammie the UK Goldfinches are totally different birds, much more colourful and just about our most exotic looking species. If you click on the Gallery banner at the top of the page you'll find several shots of both types of Goldies.

What sort of birds do you get in your garden in Ontario at this time of year ?

[Tammie]

Hi Ian,

I took your advice and looked in the gallery....wow! Your goldfinch is stunning! Exotic is a good word for them. And..... it makes me miss mine even more!
Right now, I'm getting a fair assortment. Evening grosbeaks, pine grosbeaks, black capped chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, gray jays (my favorite!), downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, black backed woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers. Like I said, a pretty good assortment. I normally have white-breasted nuthatches in the winter too but haven't seen any yet. I also have common redpolls hanging around but oddly again, they're not at the feeders. The other day, I even had a partridge! Come spring, it'll be a whole different assortment. The spring birds usually start showing up sometime in March (purple finches).
Unfortunately, right now it's a little to cold to get out much with the camera but you can see some of my birds at the link below.
Nice to meet you!

[IanF]

Sounds like you have a great selection of birds Tammie. I don't blame you about the photos, it sounds a litttle chilly to be hanging around with a camera. Mine stops working in any case at temperatures far higher than yours.
BTW you missed the ':' out in your signature - got there in the end though ! Well worth the visit, you have some lovely photos on your site. It's strange seeing such colourful birds against all that snow .

[Tammie]

Oops! Thanks for letting me know about my signature Ian. I'll change it right now.
You're right, the birds really do stand out against a white background. Gotta admit, it is pretty here in the winter. Sometimes, I just wish it wouldn't drag on so long! I get anxious for the next season's birds to come back!

[petecockney]

I hope that you are not harming these lovely wild birds by catching and ringing them.
Would you like to wear a tag.