[CT Birds] Goldfinches

[Carole Donagher]

Here in Farmington I have had a mixed year for goldfinches.  Off and on I have had just a few at a time, but more often I am experiencing record numbers of goldfinches for me, from 3 to 4 dozen at a time, especially in cold or snowy weather.  With these numbers, they are eating their way through a lot of nyjer and nyger/sun chips mix, as well as on the regular feeders filled with hulled sunflower.  On the other hand, I have had very few house finches and no purple finches this year, and only one Common Redpoll at a time in with the goldfinch flocks.

My winter started out with finding at least 5 dead or sick goldfinches in my yard.  They were in various parts of the yard, so I don't believe them to be window strikes.  The sick ones included one which, as I was stnding over it poised ready to drop a net in order to take it to a rehabilitator, was grabbed by a small sharpie.

An interesting year!

Carole Donagher
Farmington


      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs