Goldfinches tend to move around a lot every year. Eg. I have them in good numbers every autumn and winter- yet come mid spring and early summer they vanish but our sparrows take over till they return in late summer. Something I now expect year in year out. It can work out vice versa depending on the area and food supplies. Another possible reason is the quality of the food in the feeders- if the seeds get wet, this can put them off, sometimes this means the seeds will go stale. I've put rain guards on my main feeder and regularly clean them out when I can to sift out the uneatable bits that tend to clog the feeders up etc.
All depends on the circumstances. Anyway, hope this info helps. ..
__________________
Which bird is ideal for keeping cakes in? I asked. The answer: a Bun-tin.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/135715507@N06
The young Goldfinch will be trying to find there own territory , and there is still lots of natural food out there its ,Thistle head season for Goldfinch, just keep the sunflower hearts and perhaps a couple of niger seed feeders ready for the cold weather, I am sure you will get some back
We have had a pair of goldfinch in our Birtle garden all season, happily feeding on sunflower hearts. In addition a pair for part of the season. We have only seen three chicks,in their dark plumage, once last Wednesday evening. We have not seen them again. As we dearly wish to attract these birds are there any ideas what has happened to them and what can be done to keep them coming?
