Goldfinch Invasion

[big bill]

Normaly I have been getting around the 6 mark maybe 8 of the Goldfinchs today about 30 minutes ago looked out the window and ther musy have been about 16 around the feeders ,some on the ground picking up the overspill from the Niger seed and about another 8+ in the trees waiting to get in .
To me this is un-usual especially for up this end of the country anybody else up here experiancing this ? or anywere else

[Jason Claxton]

There is no Goldfinch invasion in my garden,sadly Bill,lucky you

[Jeff Steady]

We have the usual half a dozen or so on the niger feed, more would be always welcome though!

[earthdragon64]

6 to 8 is the normal number for me as well Bill. The most I've seen in a go this year in the garden was 15, and that was just on one day.

I was out walking last weekend and there is still quite a bit of natural food locally, mainly Spear Thistle heads. I saw a couple of small flocks of about 12 in two different places on dried up Thistles.

Maybe there is less natural food near you which is why they are invading. I'm sure plenty of people will be envious of this particular invasion. You'll have to post some photos, if you don't have the awful rain we're getting here.

Regards, Audrey.

[big bill]

Hello Audrey,getting the rain of ond on at the moment but it doe`snt seem to be stopping them its those dam pigeon as soon as they come on scene they are off.
Just watched weather for up here see your forecasted Snow again

[rossy]

yes bill funny you should mention snow as me and loripo mentioned in a earlier thread of a feeding frenzy look what weather came wind rain and flooding so you can bet your boots your going to get something if the birds are anything to go by. regards rossy.

[lifemuffin]

I ahve had as many as 34 goldfinches on my feeders, 10 on the actual feeders and the rest foraging on the ground, and I have only a very small garden, I consider myself very fortunate. lifemuffin

[snake]

Hi Bill, I have more or less the same number of Goldfinches in the garden every day, average 8 - 10 birds.
I have been seeing quite large flocks on the stands of weeds for a few weeks now, anything from 2 and up to 50 birds at a time.

[RobSutton]

I was getting big flocks 30-40 earlier in the autumn - emptying a Nyjer feeder in a day - but they've all moved down to lower ground, I presume, and I'm just getting one or two at a time now. Numbers of greenfinch and chaffinch have gone up in the last week or so though.

[big bill]

Thanks folks ffor your input the reason I am asking was that I am used to seeing about 8 maybe 10 but never this number ,House Sparrows seem to be staying away when they are about Chaffinch join in with them though but will try and get a pic weather permitting