Where have all the siskins gone?

I've made sparing visits to my 'far' wood this year, but I've kept the feeding going.  Thing is there only seem to be the more common woodland birds coming, and in particular the pine feeders - siskin and redpoll have been missing.  The missing siskins have been noted elsewhere, felt likely due to a good sitka spruce seed crop.  
I have heard them so this makes sense as to why my niger seed isn't the attraction it was.  Presumably the same holds for the redpoll, but here it is apparently birch and alder that are the attraction.  Maybe the lack of siskins feeding is also an issue.  That said the niger seed is going, but maybe only when the sunflower has gone.  A couple of jays were down - first time they have been brave enough here, but my lens set-up is wrong for big birds.  As for the hawfinch, probably too early even if the mast crop was not so good.  If it was good I don't expect them at all.

In truth I'm struggling with my lens set up for the little drinking hole too.  At 600mm as above I can only just squeeze a small bird in, but at 420mm the space lets in the untidy background.  Space is so restricted I may never get this ideal though.  Never mind I did snap a couple of shots whilst listening to Andy Murray implode.

I'll give it a few weeks before popping back - a dry spell always helps pull in the birds too.  Hopefully the met office will be a bit more accurate in future too - I expected cold and bright - and got cloud with light snow!