Kitchen Garden Forum

I am amazed that I have newly fledged birds in evidence I suspect that these are a third brood which to me is unusual.
Perhaps it has something to do with the severe winter that we experienced early this year.
What I am wondering is if these young birds are the progeny of the first brood hatched back in the spring or are they from mature parents.
Any comment welcomed.
JB.

According to BTO blue tits don't breed until they are one year old so it could be that a clutch has failed and the parent birds are trying again!

http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob14620.htm

Hi Glallotments,
I am aware of the BTO information but I have never known a third brood from Tits in all the years I have been bird watching or known very young birds at this time of the year.
As far as I am aware all the breeding pairs have been very successful this year but I am talking of several new families. They are all in their original feathers and all downy. Between them they have eaten a whole container of nuts since Tuesday morning I have refilled it this evening. There are up to eight birds trying to feed at any one time all day long.
Most strange.
JB.

We have lots too. I remembered we had some coconuts left over from a shy at the village sports day so I have been cutting them in half and hanging them up. They strip the two halves completely in two days. That's with peanut feeders and a daily fat ball available as well. The peanuts are usually occupied by young woodpeckers with a mixed flock of sparrows and chaffinches below them picking up the crumbs. Must clean the window and see if I can get a photo.

Starlings seem to be recovering too, always know when they visit, they're so noisy.

Hardly any starlings in our garden or plot but we do have lots of sparrows.

There are also coal tits and long tailed tits here and a lone Willow tit tagging along with a dozen or more juvenile blue tits. In fact all the young ones seem to have formed a large flock and zoom about the garden en masse.

There aren't any late fledglings of the blue tits, but a gold finch has brought her fluffy little brood this morning and they were all doing the wing fluttering and waiting to be fed.

i heard a baby robin a few weeks ago, that's the third batch this year as far as i can tell!

It's good to know the birds are recovering, I haven't seen any long tailed tits, though we had loads before the winter snow. Climate change is having its effects, on plants too, my pear tree has mature fruits and a second batch coming along where it blossomed at the branch tips for a second time in july. Last year my apple tree had some blossom in autumn!

I don't know how many broods we have had this year, but the young blue, coal and great tits are here in great numbers and looking very handsome, as are the siskins.

Hi Alan,
In my memory this year runs a parallel with 1947. I have been thinking back and I can only remember broods coming so late in the year this year and in 1947. I suspect that those fledging now are either a third or may even be a fourth brood.
JB.

Hi Johnboy,

Would this have anything to do bad winters, I know this years was bad but I was told that 1947 was horrendous.

Regards

Kevin

Hi Kevin,
It very much looks like that the birds know they are depleted in numbers after the harsh winter and they extend their sexual activities.
Lucky little buggers!
JB.

Hello Johnboy,

I would be most interested to know what the weather was like in the winter of 1947 - 1948 if you can remember?

Hi EG

It was actually 1946-47.

A couple of links for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_of_ ... ed_Kingdom

http://www.topfoto.co.uk/gallery/1947Winter/default.htm