Goldfinches

Nice to see so many Chris :)

Thanks. The last time I had flocks like this was in the winter of 2007/2008. We used to get lots of siskins and serins too. Unfortunately only see the odd one now. Noticed a decline in greenfinch numbers as well

Hi Chris and welcome to the forum, good to see such a great number of goldfinches at your rather unusual feeder setup! Please feel free to share any more pics/vids of your garden visitors, we'd love to see them!

Thanks. I have got the feeders up in the tree on a pulley system. I have had to use metal cables because the squirrels were chewing through everything. The feeders are around 18 feet off the ground and the tree is 120ft tall so plenty of canopy for the birds to flock into. I think they feel quite safe. I have had goldfinches landing on the feeders even as I winch them up after filling them

That's what my sister said!! I said I would gladly trade 10 for a nuthatch

Normally I am happy to trade but I only have 2 nuthatch the now and come spring time I generally get the goldies nesting in the garden and no doubt the number will boom again lol

I rarely see the nuthatch. We have had resident goldfinches nesting for a few years . Only 1 pair that I have noticed. Sunflower chips are getting really expensive and I don't really have the means because I am on Universal Credit but I love them. I buy the sunflower heart chips ( no waste at all) I used to buy the hearts but had too much waste on the floor. The chips are just the right size. 30 pounds for 25 kilos and I get through around 50 kilos each winter

It is an expensive hobby. I have actually stopped feeding sunflower hearts and moved back to the much cheaper black sunflower seeds and the nuthatch are happy aswell as all the other little birds. The goldies feed on Niger... I also feed fat balls and suet pellets which the woodpeckers and long tailed tits visit regularly. But come spring time I concentrate on growing natural things in the garden for them all to feed on

Have either of you tried making uncooked pastry for the birds? Very inexpensive and the birds love it for the fat content ... so simple, use cheapest plain flour & pure lard, no salt, just water to bind it together after it's rubbed in (easily mixed in food processor) ... can be rolled in cylinder shape for tubular feeder or flat slab in suet cake feeder, chill for a while!