Getting Overwhelmed

Consider this River Birch, on Saturday morning.  I count fifteen birds--mostly goldfinches and Pine Siskins here--waiting for their turn at a set of sunflower seed tube feeders which were at the time at maximum capacity (that's fifteen ports, please).  And more birds were lurking in other, nearby trees.  All told, an immense invasion wave of goldfinches, House finches, cardinals, siskins, blackbirds, and Lord knows what else.  Seed consumption at those feeders is in excess of 45 ounces per day...and has been steadily increasing since the 1st of the year.  I am getting overwhelmed by waves of piggies!  I have probably attracted every finch-like bird within two kilometers, or so it seems.  It may soon be time for tough love.  A year ago at this time we needed to leave town for a few days.  The feeders emptied...and the birds found some other food.  Amazing stuff, that.  I am game for a repeat...perhaps we'll let things go for a week starting Ash Wednesday (a fast day, after all).  More to come...