I also had tons of Pine siskins visit my WNY birdfeeders this winter. 2-3 times, mixed in with the P.siskins were 1 or 2 Common Redpolls. I also had White-winged Crossbills in my brushy area pinetrees, eating pinecone seeds, the first time that has ever happened since I have been birdwatching. Both siskins and redpolls are irruptive species for WNY. This year, the pinecone seed crop in SE Canada was poor, so the siskins and redpolls and crossbills moved further south into the USA, in search of better food sources. They will go back up north to breed. A few straggler Pine siskins are still here, but most have already left WNY Gail R (WNY)

I was just remarking to DuBois that maybe the little things have decided that with Global Warming, may as well stay here to nest since the north is getting warm as well. The poor Goldfinches, Tufted Titmice, Carolina Chickadees, etc, don't get a crack at the food all day until the Pine Siskins all suddenly vanish around 5 p.m.

They probably do like them but might not be the best food. If it gets really hot and the marshmellows start to melt they could get stucked on the bird's feathers making it hard to fly.

i live in the foothills outside of Durango Colorado about 7,000 foot elevation. Most years the siskins stay up in the mountains from spring thru fall and come down to here in the snowy coldest parts of winter. but last two years there are some that stay year around and nest close by and fledged broods this spring. and then there were several large flocks that showed up in the winter and stayed till spring. we do get snow cover on the ground that stays most of Dec. Jan and Feb. and then snow showers up till late march. most local birders say they see them in the pines and spruce and aspen forests in good weather but here i have Juniper and Pinyon and oak brush And they seem to adapt to it here. i put out the small millet seed for the house and gold finches and the siskins eat along with them