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Where have all the birdies gone?

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:23 am
by DiG
Up until a couple of days ago our garden was teaming with birds of all sizes, all feasting happily on the hedgerow fruit and foraging for seeds and insects and there were hoards on the feeders too. But today, as I look out, there are none to be seen bar a couple of pigeons and a magpie and even they have now gone. Is anyone else experiencing the same?

Diane

Re: Where have all the birdies gone?

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:03 am
by glallotments
Our feeders are still being well visited - even the long tailed tits have come back after an absence.

Re: Where have all the birdies gone?

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:33 am
by PLUMPUDDING
We've still got plenty of varieties visiting, but not in so large numbers while the weather is a bit warmer. They all come back as soon as the frost returns.

I think only the red poll and siskins have missed us this morning. The sparrow hawk did its usual 9 am swoop through the garden and round the feeders but I don't think it caught anything. There was a flock of gold finches on the feeder at the time, so they may be one less.

We've a small flock of about 9 long tailed tits pass through the garden a couple of times a day too, usually mid morning and late afternoon.

I've noticed the gold finches and red poll eating the lavender and evening primrose seeds that I've left on, so it saves a bit on bought bird food.

Re: Where have all the birdies gone?

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 7:01 pm
by DiG
We had a few visitors later on today but not nearly as many as usual. Maybe it is the milder weather as PP suggests.
We also normally have a regular visit from a sparrowhawk that thinks it is invisible if it hides in the cryptomeria, the other birds know it is there though. The redpolls and siskins havn't got to us yet and we are still waiting for the flock of redwings and fieldfares to come and strip the crab apple.

Re: Where have all the birdies gone?

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 10:23 pm
by Monika
Maybe you have had a visit by the sparrowhawk, DiG? Our birds usually disappear for a bit when he/she is about but they soon return when the coast is clear. Another thing they don't like is strong winds and as we live in a very windy spot, they probably can't hold onto the feeders when they are being blown about.

We do have regular visits from all the tit family, the finches, including bullfinches and, since the start of December, quite a few bramblings. We use three hanging feeders: sunflower hearts, home-made fat blocks (milled peanuts and suet) and nyjer seeds but don't feed anything on flat surfaces like a bird table or the ground in order to discourage long-tailed and flying rats (= pigeons). Ground feeding birds have to make do with what drops down.

A male and female great spotted woodpecker also comes regularly (though never together) but we do get a pair of nuthatches and a tree creeper on the tree trunks around the feeder. The blackbirds, robins and dunnocks come for titbits at the backdoor.

Re: Where have all the birdies gone?

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 5:34 pm
by DiG
I think it is probably a combination of all the things mentioned plus the fact that we have new neighbours who, I discovered yesterday, have started putting out food too. The previous people didn't put out bird food as they rescued cats (they had about 25 most of the time). Thankfully they all went with them. At least now I stand half a chance of not having my veg plot dug up. :) However, the mouse population might start to be a problem.

The birds have started to come back. We had some blue and great tits today and a great spotted woodpecker. Late afternoon brought 5 female pheasants; they cleared up under the feeders for me. We also live in an exposed sight so it is a bit of a white knuckle ride on the feeders for the birds some days.

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas and I wish you all a successful gardening year

Diane

Re: Where have all the birdies gone?

Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 4:18 pm
by alexhepgurn
I have seen the similar problem at my place. There is a Lake near my home and most of the time Lake is crowded with lots of colorful birds from all over the world.

But, from last few days, I felt that the number of birds is decreasing. I asked to a scientist and he told me that this is happening because of weather changes. And most probably it's because of Global Warming. And unusual weather changes have been the reason for many problems.

This is just told by a local scientist.