They are absolutely taking my finch feeders!! I never had this many during the summer, there are just swarms of them!!! Does anyone know if they start to disipate during the winter or if they keep this up? I won't be able to afford feeding them if this keeps up! It's been ever since their young ones hatched...don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that I'm getting so many, but now I have no house finches or anything. They seem to have congregated into a huge group! Thistle is costly, and I'm trying to reserve them to so much a day. They empty the feeder in one afternoon! Help!!!! :) :) :)

- in Edmonton, most of the Goldfinches fly south to warmer climates for the winter; however, what we lose in Goldfinches in the winter, we gain in Pine Siskins and Redpolls, who will also feed on niger seed; currently, we have had a large group of Siskins on our feeders for some time, although they are feeding on oil seeds and nuts; I know what you mean about the cost of thistle, as we pay 25$, for 8kg (17 lbs)! -you can perhaps substitute or mix half and half with regular finch seed, or, just offer oilseeds; I suspect that you are in the middle of a regular migration cycle, which could last a month. I'm not too familiar with migration patterns in your area

That is possible! I never thought about migration, because the goldfinches around here stay throughout the winter. They are year round birds here, but I never thought of goldfinches that might be moving in from other areas of the country.... I'll have to wait and see how it goes. We're reaching about a month now, since when this started, so I'll have to see what happens. :) I'll have to look up their migration patterns for this area of the country. I tried mixing finch food with the thistle, but it didn't go well. :( The squirrels started attacking the feeders then. They leave it totally alone when it's just pure thistle seed, but the minute I try a mixed blend I have every squirrel in the area attacking it!?!?! There's something in it that they like. They ruined two of my feeders this summer, so I gave up and just started to put out the plain thistle......I don't know which is worse, the squirrels or the expensive thistle!!! :) :)