topic Re: Goldfinches in Community Chat

Goldfinches

KatieB — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 00:18:42 GMT

I saw two male goldfinches at my bird feeder this morning. I have never seen any goldfinches before today at my feeders. I live in NC.. They were so pretty with that bright yellow color. I usually have cardinals and eastern bluebirds. I hope they come back for regular feedings..

Edited to say that the color is more of a bright yellow than a golden yellow as I originally stated.

Re: Goldfinches

Imaoldhippie — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 19:59:03 GMT

@KatieB ............I live in NC too. We have some goldfinches every summer. I hope yours stay around they are so beautiful. We also have 2 families of bluebirds, along with the regular other song birds.

Re: Goldfinches

CherryHugs — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 20:10:10 GMT

i love them, so pretty! we used to have them at our feeder and at the big sunflowers.

Re: Goldfinches

queendiva — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 20:45:26 GMT

@KatieB : aren't they pretty?

Goldfinches love nyjer seed. If you buy a finch feeded they will eat the small black seed through the sock which often comes with the seed Keeps larger birds and squirrels away.. You will get other finches and small birds, too. If you feed the goldfinches they will return to your feeder daily until the cold weather returns.

Re: Goldfinches

tucsongal — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 20:50:43 GMT

We have lesser goldfinches here and they are attracted to running water. We have them frequently at our little fountain.

Re: Goldfinches

Oznell — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 21:06:14 GMT

Hi, @KatieB -- congrats on your pretty ones! Hubby is a fiend about birds, and I can confirm @queendiva 's counsel that goldfinches LOVE and you can attract many with nyjer/niger (we've seen it spelled both ways) thistle seed.

This year he has attracted throngs of them with it, little darlings...

Re: Goldfinches

Krimpette — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 21:06:21 GMT

I'm in. Maryland and we've had goldfinches all year 'round this year. But the males have only recently changed color. About an hour ago, I looked out and there were at least a half dozen males in full color and one female at my feeders.. LOVE gold finches!

Re: Goldfinches

KatieB — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 21:31:37 GMT

@tucsongal wrote:
We have lesser goldfinches here and they are attracted to running water. We have them frequently at our little fountain.

@tucsongal I'm going to have to get my bird baths out.. I put them inside for the winter.

Re: Goldfinches

KatieB — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 21:35:01 GMT

Okay, I've got to buy a nyjer feeder too... Along with the seed.. I've got to get busy!

Re: Goldfinches

Kalli — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 21:41:51 GMT

There were 4 male goldfinches at my feeder today and several females, too. I love seeing them! 😊

Re: Goldfinches

PA Mom-mom — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 21:50:12 GMT

@KatieB So glad you have them! I live in SE PA, and we just goi our first males in bright yellow last week. We always keep a feeder full of Niger seed for our finches, and that's where we see the goldfinches first. Sometimes they stay through the winter, but I didn't see any this year. They are quite drab in the winter.

Re: Goldfinches

LindaSal — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 16:08:43 GMT

We live in RI and the Goldfinches showed up a week or two ago. We only get them in the warmer weather, they are totally gone by October as are the Hummingbirds. We have many birdfeeders and really enjoy them. We leave a bird bath out all winter and have a heater for it, it's very important for the birds to have water in the wintertime.

Re: Goldfinches

KatieB — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 16:13:36 GMT

The goldfinches were back again this morning. Still so pretty and cute little birds. Then a sparrow came along a ran them off. Maybe my feeder will become a normal stop for the goldfinches.

Re: Goldfinches

Icegoddess — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 16:21:02 GMT

I get them on occasion, but not many and they never hang around. I have put out a thistle feeder for them and they ignored it. In fact NONE of my birds used it, so I eventually took it down. I have plenty of the red house finches and a nest on top of my front porch security camera. I now have Bluebrids though and they are hanging around this year. In past years they woud show up on occasion, but never stay for long. I know they like open areas and we have lots of trees, so figured that's why they didn't hang around. Wondering if it's because the next door neighbor took down several trees last year. It's still pretty wooded though.