Here in Madison, Wisconsin, we see goldfinches occasionaly, but not consistently. They seem to move about, not necessarily in a straightforward seasonal pattern. I haven't seen any recently around our house, but I have seen bluejays and cardinals in the past week. You might have to check with others in your neighborhood, who have bird feeders, and ask if goldfinches are living in the area, this time of year.

I think you're doin everything right. We put feeders out and in a week there were tons of goldfinches and other birds. It was like they smelled the seed and went right to it. Before this I had rarely seen birds and pow they just came. I don't think there's much more for you to do it seems as far as I know

I agree, I think you are doing everything right. Just give it time. Goldfinches esp. hang out in groups and it may take them some time to find your feeders esp. if other residents around your neighbourhood have them. The goldfinches esp. like to "tour" the neighbourhood visiting each feeder site and then returning when your stop is next on the route. For now they may be around but they are just missing your stop on their neighbourhhood route. Once they find it, they will come en masse and you will have a special day. The nuthatches will also be able to feed from your upside down feeder but they tend to come later in the winter season, at least for me up here in southern Ontario.

Be patient and have fun :o)

Happy Birding!

Barb

I live in NC Kansas. We have goldfinches coming to the feeder for sunflowers now, tho, we don't have the thisle feeder up yet. You might want to look closely to be sure you aren't overlooking the finches. At this time they are rather drab in color and at a distance you might dismiss them as sparrows.

Thistle/nyjer will go stale after a few weeks, more or less depending on the weather and the golfinches will turn their beaks up and move on to fresher feeders. Definately after a month or so in the feeder, toss it on the ground for the less finicky doves and refill with fresh seed. Keep your thistle bag well sealed too.

My goldfinches definitely preferred my actual sunflowers to any other seed this summer, so it's possible that they may prefer sunflower seed at the feeder, as well. Come to think of it, my goldfinches generally prefer any food on the stalk to a feeder--I often see them picking at my coneflowers, for example, which is why I tend to leave most of my stuff up all winter, and just do a spring clean-up.

Also, remember that goldfinches aren't all that gold in the winter--they get a much duller color. Just this morning I was watching a flock of sparrows around my birdbath, and realized that some of them were actually goldfinches. So you might have goldfinches and just haven't recognized them yet?

Enviro - thank you and I agree. I was wondering where my finches were, changed the thistle, and they are back again!

Offer a large variety of food mixes. I have tons of goldfinches and they like the thistle first, followed by sunflower. I also mix in finch mixes sold for caged finches. Fruit and nut mixes are liked by all, and plenty of suet for the woodpeckers, wrens, bluebirds, nuthatches, and brown creepers. Water is important as well as nearby cover. I have two ponds and 3 birdbaths (heated). You will get more bluebirds if you put out chopped raisons and grubs. You can buy seed mixes that have dried beetles in the mix. I also hang out slices of apples/pears/oranges, and hang clusters of grapes in the shrubs for the winter fruit eaters here. Bananas are also liked.

The feeders I like best are open cages so the seed does not stay wet after rain, followed by tube feeders with big covers, and also use thistle socks which are standing room only. They dry out fairly well except sometimes at the bottom. You can also lay seed out along a fence if you have one, and throw some on the ground. You can make a simple platform feeder with a picture frame and a piece of screen. A large variety of food presented at different levels and feeder types will attrack a greater variety of birds. It helps too if you have woods nearby or a thickly planted wild area with berry type plants, and don't forget thick evergreens for cover.

I feed year round so birds don't have to find the location. They know it well, as do various hawks that come for the smaller birds and squirrels.

Just give it time and once they find it don't let more than a day or two go by where the feeders are empty or they will leave again.

CT