Seeds with a high oil content like your thistle & black-oil sunflower seeds can, as Charles noted, go rancid. But a year should be OK. I suspect the seed that I purchase now is from last year’s crops, as new crops are just now being planted. I would guess, it’s more migration patterns. I’m having a huge number of both Am Goldfinches & Pine Siskins hitting the thistle feeder to the point that I’m filling the tube which has 8 slots for feeding, everyday. And, that’s unusual for my side of the state & location. I don’t feed any mixed birdseed, too much Millet which attracts House Sparrows.

I fill a hanging platform feeder with black-oil sunflower seeds, the tube with thistles & now, an Oriole feeder. I filled the jam cups with grape jam & placed two “Little Sweetie” orange halves on the pegs yesterday & a male Bullock’s Oriole has been hitting it all morning. Hope this helps.

Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot