[cobirds] Goldfinch seed feeding behavior

Birders -

I've noticed a change in Goldfinch (both American and Lesser) behavior over the past 6 years or so.

I live in Roxborough Village, and going back 5-6 years, we had a dramatic increase in the numbers of Goldfinches. Two foot-tall mesh thistle feeders would be covered with a dozen Goldfinches each, with easily a dozen or more waiting to feed. It was normal for them to consume 1/2 to 2/3 of the seed from each feeder daily.

Local populations crashed roughly 3-4 years ago, with almost no Goldfinches showing up at my feeders. Oddly, at that time, I noticed that the remaining Goldfinches had gravitated to my (shelled) sunflower seed feeders. This continued for a roughly 3 years, with only one or two Goldfinches showing up at a time.

So far, this seemed normal as populations shift, and Goldfinches are known to eat sunflowers, but they were completely ignoring my thistle feeders.

This year has brought more Goldfinches - as many as 10 at a time - but the unusual thing is that they ALL are eating sunflower seeds and ALL ignoring my thistle feeders.

I dumped all my older seed and have completely refilled my thistle feeders twice, and have moved one to the front yard, but the Goldfinches continue to eschew my thistle feeders and in both front and back yards now exclusively eat sunflower seeds.

At the same time, House Finches are also ignoring my thistle feeders.

While it's possible I've purchased a bad or old batch of thistle, I'd like to think that the bird supply retailer I use hasn't received bad seed.

So my question to the group is whether anyone else is seeing Goldfinches at their feeders refusing to eat thistle?

Thanks!

Jim Tyler