BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Birding Your Birds of June

A thistle feeder definitely changes how many finches you have. When the thistle is out on mine I see very few, when the thistle is in, I see hordes!! Let me know if your finch situation changes once you get thistle up in a feeder, I bet it will <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hi Lisa...I'm surprised you don't get House Sparrows. This area is over-run with them. In the winter, about 50 move into my neighbors dense shrubbery. And boy, do they eat!! I think I remember that you live in Massachusetts, so our climate is probably similar. Do your grackles leave in the winter too?

Mavis...about the fox sparrows. Do you live in Canada?? I'm wondering how far north they go, since I had them for a couple weeks too on their way thru, and if they also pass thru your area...how far north do they go??

Angie...it does seem odd to only have one goldfinch. I bet the thistle draws more. Is it a male that you're seeing?? Maybe he'll bring the wife and family when you put out thistle. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I talked my daughter into not cutting down a bull thistle that was growning along the fence by her pool. It was about a foot high at the time. Now she's ready to kill me...its about 4 foot high and growing...LOL. By the time its done, it'll look like a Xmas tree, with prickers. But it sure does draw goldfinches when the flowers dry up!! Getting rid of the darn thing when it dies off will be alot of fun, since the yard is enclosed with a 6ft. wooden fence.

Yes, Baybury - I'm in Canada. Not far from the U.S. border. I really don't know how far the Fox Sparrow normally goes. I wouldn't mind if they stay here every year though. They're a nice change from the normal House Sparrow.

I agree - the House Sparrows can get way out of hand here sometimes.

I do get house sparrows every once in a while, but not a ton of them, and not for long. I suppose I should count myself lucky, I hear from others that they can be quite the pests!

Yes, grackles tend to come in the spring and leave in the winter again. The baby grackles are definitely out right now <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> And they're so shy! Usually they're quite aggressive but the little babies are incredibly shy ...