goldfinches

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Subject:	goldfinches
From:	Con Boekel <>
Date:	Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:43:27 +1100

A systemic change over the last forty years has been the introduction of the widespread use of herbicides to control thistles in pastures. If thistles are being targetted, farmers will get to them before they flower and set seed.

It is many years since I have experienced the clouds of wind-blown thistledown that were quite common when I was a child.

If there is a direct relationship between the Goldfinch population and the quantity of thistles then my suggestion would be that, other variables being constant, the Australian Goldfinch population has probably declined significantly over the last half century or so.

Con

On 24/01/2013 5:20 PM, Wayne Gregson wrote:

There is often a very large flock of goldfinches in the paddocks between Lake Road and Lake George near Bungendore. I would guess at up to 100 on occasions.

Personally I am always pleased to see them and I am not sure that they compete with a native species for their favourite (thistle seed) food.

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