Re: [Tweeters] Lack of Finches,

I too am in Mapleleaf (top of the hill with a sward of 60' - 80' tall conifers in the back), and I've seen mostly house finch in the 6 years I've had feeders up. I have gone through a handful of bags of niger thistle (that I keep frozen till it goes into the thistle feeder) in my years here.

I DO see plenty of house finches eating sunflower seeds (with shell). However, I may get about one Goldfinch per year that parks on the thistle feeder but doesn't return the next day. I've never had a flock of goldfinches. One year (was it 2003?) I had a couple of red crossbill! (maybe they liked those big trees).

I have seen reduced house sparrows this year - I had attributed it to stopping use of de-shelled sunflower seeds in favor of whole sunflower seeds that the house finch really like. Apparently something besides my choice for seed is going on.

John



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