At first, I thought Purple Finch. Now, House Finch. I could be convinced either way. The joy of backyard birdfeeding — and in this case, front yard birdfeeding — never gets old! The beauty of the birds brings joy year-round; but in winter amid the bare and the brown, the beauty feels especially welcome and seems an exceptional gift. I look, and I know it. His love knows no bounds.
The day is yours,
and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.
It was you who set all the
boundaries of the earth;
you made both summer and winter.
— Psalm 74:16-17
@jyokota Thank you for your kind comment! All of the finches here love sunflower chips, and the goldfinches especially love thistle. It is such a joy to watch them all!
@janetb My thistle feeder sits virtually untouched, and my finches just liked standing on the tomato cages! The sunflower seeds were too popular with mean birds so I switched to safflower but now in winter I should lure more birds back!
@jyokota Hi, there...as a former backyard birdfeeding shop owner and volunteer environmental educator, I thought I'd offer some information in an effort to help you? Thistle seed has a tendency to "go bad" quickly. It may look fine; but moisture, age, and other factors cause it to deteriorate, which causes finches to avoid it. As a result, it is best to purchase it in small quantities and, if possible, keep it in the refrigerator or freezer to prolong its freshness. (Sometimes even a bag you just purchased can actually be spoiled if it was purchased from a store that doesn't rotate its seed properly.) Cleaning the feeder, allowing it to dry thoroughly, and filling it with fresh seed should fix the problem and have the finches entertaining you again soon. I hope this helps you! :)
@janetb -- WOW! As a new pandemic-era backyard birder, I am just learning and I had no idea. I inherited 5 birdhouses and several bird feeders and poles when my neighbor died and her husband moved. They had lived in their house 40 years and were my neighbors for 25 years so it was a nice connection to move the birds across the street. All during the pandemic I photographed birds and tried to learn their names and behaviors. But I'm just learning and all my birds are backyard only! Thanks for tips. I bought the thistle feeder in the fall and I've never refilled it because the first seeds I put in have never been eaten. As soon as the snow melts enough that I can find my way back that way, I'll give it a good cleaning and fresh seeds. Quick Bird ID question: do you know what this bird is? https://365project.org/jyokota/365/2020-07-06
@jyokota How wonderful that you inherited those things! I can just imagine the whole new world that got opened up for you as you began watching. Good luck with your thistle feeder! Regarding that bird identification, when I first saw it I thought of a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak; but I can’t be sure. They are on the plumper side, and it doesn’t appear from the picture that that bird is very plump; but it could just be the angle. I wish I could be of more help, but it looks like a definite identification may remain a mystery! I wish you many happy hours of birdwatching. The birds bring so much joy to each day! :)
@janetb Birdwatching and SquirrelWatching are two outcomes of the pandemic. And gardening and flower bed digging and planting. I'm trying to create a backyard that attracts birds, butterflies and bees
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