Shortage of garden birds

[Nimrod103]

So far this autumn I have seen no blackbirds, I continue to see no thrushes, and no tits. I usually only start to put out food for the tits about now, so maybe that is why I’m not attracting them. Or is it the 4 cats which have been adopted next door but one? Or bird flu? All I get is a solitary robin. These are big gardens with large lawns and and plenty of trees and bushes for cover.

[Dod101]

So far this autumn I have seen no blackbirds, I continue to see no thrushes, and no tits. I usually only start to put out food for the tits about now, so maybe that is why I’m not attracting them. Or is it the 4 cats which have been adopted next door but one? Or bird flu? All I get is a solitary robin. These are big gardens with large lawns and and plenty of trees and bushes for cover.

I have a robin, coal tits and a family of wrens in evidence, in much the same environment as you describe. My thrushes tend only to be in my garden around high summer, but I have seen no blackbirds either. I have no nuts or anything else out and in fact intend to buy a new feeder for this year. You have reminded me.

Dod

[Howyoudoin]

So far this autumn I have seen no blackbirds, I continue to see no thrushes, and no tits. I usually only start to put out food for the tits about now, so maybe that is why I’m not attracting them. Or is it the 4 cats which have been adopted next door but one? Or bird flu? All I get is a solitary robin. These are big gardens with large lawns and and plenty of trees and bushes for cover.

I love watching the blackbirds antics in the garden. I can do without their ‘car alarm’ distress calls though, so I’m always pleased if they decide to nest elsewhere.

HYD

[6Tricia]

I have a bird feeder station just a few metres from my patio windows where the five feeders use to empty in just a few days. Lately, however, they only need refilling after about 10 days. There are still goldfinches, various tits and a few sparrows visiting, but rarely robins, greenfinches or blackbirds and certainly not in the numbers of even a couple of years ago.

This lunchtime I was sad to see a sparrowhawk swoop, take a goldfinch and fly off with its prize. I think it must be watching from somewhere close by because it reappeared an hour later and spent a good ten minutes atop the feeder station before flying off again. Not a single bird has visited the feeder station since the sparrowhawk made its first appearance!

Tricia

[88V8]

Blackbirds appeared then left.
Have tits.
And robins.
And a dove.
And a woodpecker.

We have two bird tables and a peanut feeder and hanging fat-balls, and plentiful apples on the ground.

Agree birdwise it's all a bit thin at the mo.

I buy my bird food from Vine House farm, who support the wildlife trusts, and deliver next day.
https://www.vinehousefarm.co.uk/?msclkid=297cdeaf474d144c84c4bdff7fb8e924

I have noticed that if one stops feeding even for a day, the birds vanish and take a long time to return. I think continuity is important.

V8

[Howyoudoin]

I have a bird feeder station just a few metres from my patio windows where the five feeders use to empty in just a few days. Lately, however, they only need refilling after about 10 days. There are still goldfinches, various tits and a few sparrows visiting, but rarely robins, greenfinches or blackbirds and certainly not in the numbers of even a couple of years ago.

This lunchtime I was sad to see a sparrowhawk swoop, take a goldfinch and fly off with its prize. I think it must be watching from somewhere close by because it reappeared an hour later and spent a good ten minutes atop the feeder station before flying off again. Not a single bird has visited the feeder station since the sparrowhawk made its first appearance!

Tricia

Nature is a tough watch sometimes

A tough watch and a pain in the butt to clear up after a Sparrowhawk has claimed a victim in your garden.

HYD

[monabri]

We'd noticed a reduction in the number of wild birds too (West Midlands).

In addition, the UK is now an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone, as declared on17th October.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influ ... -situation

This years avian bird flu is a real nasty one. There are quite a few reports in the papers/online. There are numerous cases on the East Coast.

DEFRA Map of cases.

https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/weba ... 5e6aeba90d



We've implemented bio-security measures and our chickens are now confined and under cover.

[Howyoudoin]

Bird flu is nasty. The dead birds that we never normally see (like Gannets) were bad enough, what was worse though was the 2 guilimots I came across that were just lying there on the beach. Obviously in their last minutes and quite upsetting.

Blimey Snorvey, this is a first. Never seen you show compassion for man or beast before.



HYD

[Howyoudoin]

Bird flu is nasty. The dead birds that we never normally see (like Gannets) were bad enough, what was worse though was the 2 guilimots I came across that were just lying there on the beach. Obviously in their last minutes and quite upsetting.

Blimey Snorvey, this is a first. Never seen you show compassion for man or beast before.



HYD

Humans, no. Animals, yes. See having to put animals down? Oh Jesus.

I haven’t seen animals being put down, thank goodness. Other than various ‘snuff’ animal horror films I saw in the 80s. I haven’t had a pet since I was 5 years old and a fox made an awful mess of my white rabbit Snowy.

HYD

PS It’s a conversation for another thread but I’m amazed in this day and age we are ok with pets being put down because they are in agony but not humans. Anyone who has seen a parent go through the latter won’t forget it, that’s for sure.

[mutantpoodle]

similar in South Bucks
hardly any tits
robins about as usual
and the wretched magpies and their 'defence' row!

no blackbirds or thrushes yet

have had seed and fat balls out most of summer....not at hottest time (rightly or wrongly)

[tjh290633]

Just looking at my bird feeders now. There is a procession of bluetits, great tits, and occasionally greenfinches and nuthatch appear. Coal tit as well. On my regular walk to the village I expect to see blackbirds in profusion and a few robins. We can hardly move for wood pigeons plus the occasional stock dove. Collared doves, magpies and jackdaws regularly visit.

I have found the occasional greenfinch corpse, presumably bird flu victims.

A great spotted woodpecker has just appeared. We never see house sparrows, but a dunnock often appears.

TJH

[flyer61]

East Cheshire....feeder stations at the front and back of the house available all year round.

This year no Woodpeckers, Chaffinches or Long Tailed Tits. We have never had Sparrows.

Minimal Greenfinches, maybe once a month if I am lucky

Plenty of Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits and Nuthatches. Also a daily smattering of Goldfinches with Dunnocks, Wrens, Robins and Blackbirds in the background.

Crows, Magpies and Pigeons galore.

Had a problem with Grey squirrels, all sorted. More cats than you can shake a stick at. One neighbour has 6.

All in all I am very concerned about the future for small finch like birds in the UK.

[BullDog]

East Cheshire....feeder stations at the front and back of the house available all year round.

This year no Woodpeckers, Chaffinches or Long Tailed Tits. We have never had Sparrows.

Minimal Greenfinches, maybe once a month if I am lucky

Plenty of Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits and Nuthatches. Also a daily smattering of Goldfinches with Dunnocks, Wrens, Robins and Blackbirds in the background.

Crows, Magpies and Pigeons galore.

Had a problem with Grey squirrels, all sorted. More cats than you can shake a stick at. One neighbour has 6.

All in all I am very concerned about the future for small finch like birds in the UK.

I share your feelings. I started feeding again a few weeks back and the feeder at first was mobbed by various tits. With the local cats now cottoned on, even the tits are wary. Everything else apart from tits seems much scarcer this year. I did have one visit from a thrush, the first for several years but not seen it since. Formerly common birds like sparrows are nowhere to be seen. A Blackbird couple are around but not often seen. Dunnock and Robin are around occasionally. Finches, wren, goldcrest absent. Pigeons by the tonne, they make a heck of a mess. Haven't heard a cuckoo for maybe two decades. And saddest of all, the pet cats in the neighbourhood all of which appear well nourished and looked after are terrorising the bird life.

[88V8]

....the pet cats in the neighbourhood all of which appear well nourished and looked after are terrorising the bird life.

After 8 years of eschewing a cat because of the birds in our garden, a cat adopted us. She is lovely and a great mouser but fortunately has almost zero interest in birds.
However, even her mouse predation is detrimental to our local owls.

Cats are but one way in which the excessive human population destroys wildlife and the natural world.

V8

[Nimrod103]

....the pet cats in the neighbourhood all of which appear well nourished and looked after are terrorising the bird life.

After 8 years of eschewing a cat because of the birds in our garden, a cat adopted us. She is lovely and a great mouser but fortunately has almost zero interest in birds.
However, even her mouse predation is detrimental to our local owls.

Cats are but one way in which the excessive human population destroys wildlife and the natural world.

V8

I think the Countryside Alliance points out the hypocrisy of the RSPB in their criticism of shooting, because so many of RSPB members dote on their family cats.

But my original post wasn't really intended to villify cat owners, but I am looking for an explanation for the lack of birds this year in my otherwise bird friendly garden.

[88V8]

....the pet cats in the neighbourhood all of which appear well nourished and looked after are terrorising the bird life.

Cats are but one way in which the excessive human population destroys wildlife and the natural world.

I think the Countryside Alliance points out the hypocrisy of the RSPB in their criticism of shooting, because so many of RSPB members dote on their family cats.

But my original post wasn't really intended to villify cat owners, but I am looking for an explanation for the lack of birds this year in my otherwise bird friendly garden.

Speaking as an RSPB member, I must plead guilty.

As to your own dearth of birds, are there perhaps local reasons related to the crops being grown locally and/or local hedge management?

As I write I am ordering more bird seed from Vine House farm, the owner sends out a monthly newsletter on his own farming activities in which he mentions some of the issues affecting bird populations. https://www.vinehousefarm.co.uk/category/news-from-the-farm. If you buy, you can sign up.
Next day delivery.

We feed the Ultimate Energy with suet which I buy in 13kg bags, lasts about 3 months.

V8