Gold Finches Again . . .

I gotta go feed the Finches again.  The little Gold Finches have already gone through about 8 pounds of Niger Seed (aka Thistle Seed).  As I look out the front window the wind is out of the North with gusts and it moves the bag back and forth but that does not deter the Finches.  The hang on the bag and pull seeds through the loose mesh as if they were hanging on a thistle plant in a field and feeding on the thistle flower.  The are very adept at hanging on.  The wind is not challenge.

As usual some of the seed spills on the ground but those that are not able to muscle their way on to the feeders get that seed.  They are always in a flock, so there are usually a bunch of them feeding at the same time.  They are very competitive around the feeders for a space to eat.

The other feeder is metal mesh tube about three and half inches in diameter and about 10 inches long.  I have counted up to seven Finches on that feeder at one time.  It is, however, not as will liked as the cloth bag feeder.  While it holds considerable more seed and because of its relative size is more stable in the wind still does not make it the selected feeder. 

When I service the feeders, the bag is literally empty while the metal feeder is down about a 1/3.  Perhaps because there is a lot more seed in the metal feeder, they maybe consuming it at the same rate.  But from a novice point of view, does not seem to be the case.

Either way, I am into a second bag of seed.  It is 10 pounds in size.  I have already been through some of last years seed and five pound bag of seed.  I am estimating they have eaten about 8 pounds of seed already this year.  I think it is because they learned about my source of food from last year and are simply returning to the spot where they know they can eat a lot. 

They provide an interesting out look on nature.  As they molt in the spring they grow more and more golden in color.  When they are near total Gold in color they migrate off to somewhere else.  I am sure it is further North into the Great Plains perhaps all the way to Canada.  Though I have seen them in Tucson, AZ feeding on a giant bag in front of bird food dealers location.  And that was pretty late in the season, so some of them have to be locals and do not migrate.

Bird experts say they are around us all year long but I only see them early in the year.  Starting mid January and running to early summer, then they quit feeding on the feeders.  I am guessing that they have other sources of food that are much easier to get at than the feeders and that is why we do not see them through the summer and fall to winter.

Interesting is that other birds see them feeding and come in see what is going on.  Most common is the Cardinal.  But they have not mastered the skill of hanging on the bags or feeders.  So they stay a while and then fly off.  Chickadees do the same.  Mocking birds do not, they come by but it is there local turf and they eat bugs.  I have not seen any Blue birds around the feeders yet they are all over the back yard, they are bug eaters too but will eat seeds off the ground.  Blue Jays also do not come, they seem to be only attracted only by peanuts.

So right now it is the time of Gold Finches.  House Finches are here all year but they do not feed of the bags either.  And we have a couple Wrens, look like Cactus Wrens to me.  Long beaks and love to build nests that they do not use.

Spring certainly seems to be here early this year.  Peach trees are blooming early.  Blue birds are already nesting in their boxes in the back yard.