Goldfinch

Billy Wobble Dagger · #1 (**permalink**) 11-01-2007, 06:56 AM

I have a question for all you bird people out there in WAB land.
When I've seen goldfinches when I'm out and about they are always in flocks of 10+. However we have a single goldfinch that visits our garden to eat niger seed three or four times a week. Question, Why's he by him self? Or is it unusual to see a flock?
Thanks for any replies

BWD

scholesy · #2 (**permalink**) 11-01-2007, 07:19 AM

I have a smallish urban garden and put out nijer seed for goldfinches. It took 8 months before the first sighitng now they come eveyday and have done for 18 months. i only get an average of 4-6 feeding, maybe the max ever would be 8.

Started with just the one, then two, then 4 feeding at the same time. if you are only getting the one at the moment i imagine that will increase in a short while. word spreads.

Possibly in urban areas the flocks consist of far fewer birds. I dont suppose my one feeder of nijer would be enough for a larger flock. Maybe they split into smaller feeding parties in other gardens in the area.

In the wild I guess they go where the food is, therefore larger flocks of godfinches.

smartie · #3 (**permalink**) 11-01-2007, 07:40 AM

Maybe he's just Billy no-mates

Seriously, I have a greenfinch that separates herself from the main flock of 12 or so who squabble over the feeders every day and comes down a bit later on her own. I've tried to keep an eye on her (though I still find it difficult to identify separate individuals), and she seems to be one of a couple that get muscled off the feeders by the others when the main group is together. So maybe she's hungry and just comes for a bit of food when it's quieter. Your goldfinch may be doing the same.

nightshade · #4 (**permalink**) 11-01-2007, 07:46 AM

I think that someone has to be first,this morning one goldfinch on the niger
now 8-10 on sunflower hearts they look brilliant against winters drab

aeshna5 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-01-2007, 08:50 AM

Goldfinches, like most finches tend to be sociable- they often nest relatively close to each other as well as flock birds outside breeding season.

Perhaps yours is the pioneer bird or maybe he is Billy No-mates. Last winter I had 20+ Goldfinches coming for sunflower hearts (ignoring nyger which they initially liked), though this year only c6 birds, possibly due to gangs of House Sparrows, though at least 2 different Sparrowhawks (an adult male + a browner immature bird) are probably daily visitors, which must be a deterrent.

Hopefully more goldfinches will follow your loner. When you get a small group they spend much time squabbling + making a buzzing call as they get irritated.

badgerwatcher · #6 (**permalink**) 11-01-2007, 09:21 AM

They are the most amazing little birds. They form queues along branches around feeders, now and then attacking and moving the 'ones who've already had a go', and fighting in mid-air. I love that.
And they are currently clinging on with grim determination to feeders that are being blown practically horizontal in powerful winds and rain.
And they never stop eating. I don't know how they managed before we arrived. We're convinced they are probably out there all night too, wearing tiny miner's helmets with lights on!

glsammy · #7 (**permalink**) 11-01-2007, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgerwatcher

And they never stop eating. I don't know how they managed before we arrived. We're convinced they are probably out there all night too, wearing tiny miner's helmets with lights on!

Now that did make me laugh. What a picture!

Likewise with our few birds, we've got a lone Greenfinch, which never mixes with the other 4. It looks perfectly healthy, just always comes on it's own.

fulhamphil · #8 (**permalink**) 11-01-2007, 06:48 PM

I had a nijer feeder up for about 3 months didn't see any goldfinches then one morning i looked out my window and couldn't believe my eyes, there were four of them on the feeder, what a feeling it was like fulham winning the cup, however they came for about a week and i haven't seen them since (about 6 weeks). Why is that? The feeders still out and i hope they will come back, i must admit they are my favourite bird.

Wild-Woman · #9 (**permalink**) 11-01-2007, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fulhamphil

I had a nijer feeder up for about 3 months didn't see any goldfinches then one morning i looked out my window and couldn't believe my eyes, there were four of them on the feeder, what a feeling it was like fulham winning the cup, however they came for about a week and i haven't seen them since (about 6 weeks). Why is that? The feeders still out and i hope they will come back, i must admit they are my favourite bird.

With any luck you may get some siskins. They love nyger seed too.

My favourite birds btw.

Barbara · #10 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 05:24 AM

Goldfinches descend upon my garden in ones, twos, threes and the most visits I had one time was 14. I've watched their behaviour, and found most of the time, one will appear, perch high on a branch and then proceed to call to the others. It doesn't take long for the others to appear.

Mandy · #11 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 07:04 AM

I usually have 2 or 3 visit at once and undisturbed they stay for ages! The most I had ever at once were about 30! That was a sight but it hasnt happened since. I have had three that have been victims of window strike, sadly one died

but the other two stunned themselves so I popped them in a box and placed them in the airing cupboard for half an hour, they made a full recovery and happily flew off!!

I am hoping to get siskins visit at some point!

Mandy

buzfuz8149 · #12 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 10:06 AM

we have a flock of about 10 Goldfinch this year visiting the feeders, they sit in the trees waiting their turn well that's what it looks like, each year we get a different number coming it peaked two years ago when we had a flock of 25+, they usually come with a few Greenfinch in tow. At this moment there are two Greenfinch and three Goldfinch feeding.

Carol.

Billy Wobble Dagger · #13 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 11:26 AM

Thanks for all your replies, I will be patient and see if any more turn up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgerwatcher

We're convinced they are probably out there all night too, wearing tiny miner's helmets with lights on!

Stayed awake all last night but didn't see any tiny miners lamps around the feeders.

BWD

badgerwatcher · #14 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 02:17 PM

They wouldn't usethem if they saw you watching, BWD!

Fulhamphil, make sure you change the niger seed regularly, as I've found at this time of year it starts sprouting quite quickly, which is presumably risky but also, not easy to get out of the feeders.

fulhamphil · #15 (**permalink**) 13-01-2007, 11:32 AM

Thanks badgerwatcher, i have already noticed that , i must of thrown away 3 lots already, still got a big bag left though, i think it would probably be better if i bought some mini niger seed feeders won't be so much waste then.

badgerwatcher · #16 (**permalink**) 13-01-2007, 11:38 AM

Yes, it's annoying, isn't it, Phil?
I'm emptying mine in a corner of the garden where a patch of thistles covered in happy goldfinches would be a good photo-opportunity!

smartie · #17 (**permalink**) 13-01-2007, 12:40 PM

Mine isn't sprouting anything - particularly not goldfinches. I'm thinking of giving up on the nyger. If they want to visit they can just eat sunflower hearts like everyone else.

buzfuz8149 · #18 (**permalink**) 13-01-2007, 01:41 PM

I bought some nyger seed but ended up putting them on my wild patch, the goldfinch prefer the sunflower hearts.

Carol.

nightshade · #19 (**permalink**) 13-01-2007, 04:26 PM

I rarely fill the nyger,sunflower hearts get the vote 9-1,but don't you
find that they eat such a tiny part of the seed and leave such a mess

buzfuz8149 · #20 (**permalink**) 13-01-2007, 05:06 PM

They are messy eaters, I find the ground feeders enjoy the bits they drop and in the spring and summer the Hedgehogs do a really good job on the bits so it's mainly winter that I clear whats left away.

Carol.

Wolfhill · #21 (**permalink**) 13-01-2007, 05:33 PM

I got 2 goldfinches in my garden for the first time on 24th of December eating seeds from frozen teasel heads, the next day as chance would have it my Mum and dad bought me a nijer seed feeder and some seed and they have stayed every since

At max I have seen 6 in the garden at once which is terrific as before this year I had only ever had a couple in the garden before eating peanuts.

Wild-Woman · #22 (**permalink**) 13-01-2007, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfhill

I got 2 goldfinches in my garden for the first time on 24th of December eating seeds from frozen teasel heads, the next day as chance would have it my Mum and dad bought me a nijer seed feeder and some seed and they have stayed every since

At max I have seen 6 in the garden at once which is terrific as before this year I had only ever had a couple in the garden before eating peanuts.

You'd better get that camera of yours out Fergus!