Where have all our garden birds gone?

[Xerces Fobe2]

How are they a pest ?

 

They feed on roadkill, carrion and the detritus left by man, contrary to popular myth they do not try and snatch small dogs or children, they are barely able to lift off the ground with the weight of a small rodent. they are part of the food chain of nature, unfortunately in the past we interfered with that chain.............sorry we still do....

They have yet to recover to former numbers.

The birds have been fed by someone who lives on the perimeter of White Waltham Airfield and this is causing issues with aircraft landing and taking of from the airfield. Whist they are beautiful birds the numbers are getting out of hand- remember they are scavengers and the Crows regularly chase some of then away.

 

XF

[Gruffalo]

The birds have been fed by someone who lives on the perimeter of White Waltham Airfield and this is causing issues with aircraft landing and taking of from the airfield. Whist they are beautiful birds the numbers are getting out of hand- remember they are scavengers and the Crows regularly chase some of then away.

 

XF

Surely that is a matter of educating the person(s) feeding these birds and not a reason to cull them? The example of scavenging kites being chased by crows does not consider that the crow is a scavenger in its own right. 

 

I guess that were the airfield operators / users to be talking to said person(s) however, he/she/they may respond that flying private planes is anti-social (various different levels of pollution are often quoted such as noise and CO2 where small airfields are concerned) and elitist? Surely we should all be adopting a more "live and let live" approach (or departure)? 

[bike2steam]

 

They have yet to recover to former numbers.

(Red Kites)

 

And to be seen above the streets of London.

[Budgie]

Bl*&$y cats..............no collar/bell either.

Maybe a quick bash over the head with a golf club will persuade them to desist.

[Xerces Fobe2]

Surely that is a matter of educating the person(s) feeding these birds and not a reason to cull them? The example of scavenging kites being chased by crows does not consider that the crow is a scavenger in its own right. 

 

I guess that were the airfield operators / users to be talking to said person(s) however, he/she/they may respond that flying private planes is anti-social (various different levels of pollution are often quoted such as noise and CO2 where small airfields are concerned) and elitist? Surely we should all be adopting a more "live and let live" approach (or departure)? 

I have seen the Police in the road a number of times however it is not illegal to feed birds, however I would be breaking the law if I flew a radio controlled aircraft from my garden as I am near an airport! I am not advocating any cull of these birds but more a control of what appears to be an excessive food supply with a number smaller alternative food forces at other nearby locations being provided.

 

I find the aircraft can be annoying sometimes however they were in area way before me so I can't complain however a the Tornado jet passing very low  over my house at high speed prior to an airshow a few years ago was less than welcome!

 

XF

[The Dorset Wanderer]

The increase of cats locally has disuaded most birds around here-except pigeons. All they do is S*** on Mrs DW's washing. Also get p****d off having to check the garden every time the grandchildren come for cat mess- why don't their owners take responsibility?

Steve

[Xerces Fobe2]

The increase of cats locally has disuaded most birds around here-except pigeons. All they do is S*** on Mrs DW's washing. Also get p****d off having to check the garden every time the grandchildren come for cat mess- why don't their owners take responsibility?

Steve

 Cats usually bury their mess as most cats are clean creatures and hate their own mess. I used have a cat that used a litter tray would bury it and bang on the lid until I cleaned it up !

 

XF

[DDolfelin]

and bang on the lid until I cleaned it up !

 

XF

It was probably trying to get back in.

 

I would have thought that the Crows (more likely to be Rooks) would be a greater hazard than Red kites if they are there in numbers.

[chaz]

Basic ecology tells us that the number of any animal species is largely controlled by the food supply. So sparrowhawks do not predate small birds in numbers that put their popuation at risk. It's the sparrowhawks that suffer when the number of small birds falls due to loss of habitat (that's our fault) and hence loss of food. A natural balance would see both small birds and sparrowhawks thriving.

 

The drop in the numbers of our migrant birds (house martins are a sad example) is not necessarily the result of changes in Britain - it's possible that changes in the habitats in Africa might be the reason.

 

A sad loss to much of the British countryside is the hen harrier. Persecution by gamekeepers is suspected. Unfortunately the RSPB and the police don't seem to be able to eliminate the illegal shooting of these elusive raptors. A shame if, as seems all too likely, the bird becomes extinct in Britain.

 

On the subject of red kites, these magnificent birds are to be treasured IMO. In what respect are they becoming a pest?

 

End of rant (sorry but you might guess from my avatar that I my other interest has feathers).

 

Chaz

[Horsetan]

Surely that is a matter of educating the person(s) feeding these birds ....

Is that going to work with someone who may have obsessive tendencies and may not want "re-education"?

[Gruffalo]

Is that going to work with someone who may have obsessive tendencies and may not want "re-education"?

Still no justification for poison baits or other cruel methods of reducing the numbers of Kites though!

[chaz]

Still no justification for poison baits or other cruel methods of reducing the numbers of Kites though!

 

I might be a bit dim but could someone explain why we need to reduce the numbers of kites? I note that they have been labelled a pest but, given that they are largely carrion eaters (more so than the ubiquitous carrion crow), I don't see what the problem is. There are a few places where the kites are fed and these do, naturally, attract large numbers. I imagine that as the birds' range spreads the attraction of these sites will become less to their human spectators and the practice will die away, with the concentrations of birds then dispersing.

 

Red kites are magnificent creatures - we are very lucky that the reintroduction programme has been such a success. I remember crossing the car park at the Rivermeade Community Centre in Reading (on my way into a GoG show) and looking up to see a pair of the birds drifting over at tree top height. A magic moment.

 

Chaz

[Rumblestripe]

On the subject of scavengers, my favourite bird is the crow. Wonderfully intelligent they are. On the field where I walk my dog there is regularly a pair on the ground, looking for whatever the everyday folk leave behind, and they know that my dog is on a "flexi-lead" so instead of taking off if he makes a lunge towards them (as he tends to do) they simply hop a little further away. It drives him nuts! With other dogs that are loose they take off and move a more respectful distance away! Watch them on motorways "tidying up" after a roadkill, watch how they understand the movement of traffic, how they know they are safe on the hard shoulder. Clever birds.

[Horsetan]

....-except pigeons. All they do is S*** on Mrs DW's washing. ....

 

 

.....over here, I usually find their bodily excretions have landed on my car.

[Joseph_Pestell]

For the last month, our normally heavily populated bird feeders have been almost deserted.

As we are very rural, we usually get a wide variety including some exotica.

Friends twelve miles away report a similar phenomenon.

 

Yes, the Sparrowhawks are well fed and the feral cat takes about one every fortnight but it doesn't account for the missing hundreds.

 

We still see all the crow family, pheasants, partridge, buzzards and the like but the common visitors - blue tits etc., - are nowhere to be seen. Even a tray of dried meal worms, usually gone in five minutes, is still untouched after a week.

 

As a sort of 'rough' survey, I'd be interested to see our UK members' experience recently.

More than usual / same as usual / less than usual / unusually low numbers.

Not that RMWeb members are necessarily rough.

 

I think they are all here in Dorset! Wakened several times lately - including this morning - by dawn chorus.

 

Probably many factors involved but changes in agricultural practices and land management would be a big one.

 

Also, I suspect that we may not be doing the bird population such a favour by feeding them from bird tables so much. Used to be that was only done during harsh winters. Is the produce that is sold commercially for bird feeders (non-UK nuts etc) actually suitable?

[chris p bacon]

Also, I suspect that we may not be doing the bird population such a favour by feeding them from bird tables so much. Used to be that was only done during harsh winters. Is the produce that is sold commercially for bird feeders (non-UK nuts etc) actually suitable?

I haven't checked but I think RSPB and other's advice is for year round feeding, when feeding young the adults will search for live/soft food but other times it helps to keep numbers healthy. it also expands their habitat as lets face it, we keep taking it.

Edited May 9, 2013 by chris p bacon

[DDolfelin]

I know that there would be fewer birds now, Joseph, if we hadn't fed them in recent months.

Everything covered in snow or very cold. Only now have the plants started to produce anything to feed insects for example.

[Happy Hippo]

Surely that is a matter of educating the person(s) feeding these birds and not a reason to cull them? The example of scavenging kites being chased by crows does not consider that the crow is a scavenger in its own right. 

 

I guess that were the airfield operators / users to be talking to said person(s) however, he/she/they may respond that flying private planes is anti-social (various different levels of pollution are often quoted such as noise and CO2 where small airfields are concerned) and elitist? Surely we should all be adopting a more "live and let live" approach (or departure)? 

 

Yes Gruffer, we should!

 

But it always amazes me the number of people who decide to buy a house next to, or on the approach/departure line of an active airfield, and then spend all their time complaining about the noise.

 

Many years ago, when I lived in Germany, there were lots of laws, maybe local bye-laws, but you couldn't use a petrol engined lawn mower to mow your lawn on a Sunday, nor could you wash your car, or carry out any repairs to said machine at the side of the road (apart from emergencies such as a tyre change).LGVs were banned from travelling on the road between 2359 Friday to 0001 on a Monday morning. litter seemed to be non existent and jaywalking just didn't happen.

 

However, that's not bird stuff, so;

 

The nest box is allegedly occupied by a family of blue tits, and the blackbirds are back in the clematis next to our back door.

 

In all the years we've lived here, I've seen the parents flying in and out, but never seen any fledglings.

 

Regards

 

Richard

[Mallard60022]

Perhaps many of our birds (except gulls) have decided that it is too 'mucky' over here; I certainly think so (but not everywhere, I realise).

Still only a few House Martins locally; they deffo have 'gone' as in past years they have turned up to the exact day as the previous year, except for last year when they were 10 days late.

Quack 

[Phil Bullock]

Plenty of sand martins and swallows on the River Wye at Erwood today - along with sandpipers and a very conspicuous mandarin duck in amongst the mallards

 

Also an Egret near Tewkesbury

 

Phil

[Cornish Triang Paul]

Saw first Swallow may 7 and first Swifts may 8. Very late showing.

 

No Jackdaws nesting on chimney this year - 1st time since moving in 5 years ago.

Edited May 12, 2013 by Cornish Triang Paul

[melmerby]

Still no House Martins & Swifts in my area so far, more Crows and less Jackdaws than usual and now pesky Starlings (4 in the garden yesterday), haven't had those before!

 

The Crows and the Wood Pigeons seem to keep having "Battle of Britain" moments where a Crow flies through a group of Pigeons, causing them to scatter, rather like an aerial dog fight!

 

Keith

[Clive Mortimore]

I have watched a few "Battle of Britain" moments recently concerning Sparrow hawks and rooks. The rooks are protecting their nest and they fly up to harass the sparrow hawk. If the sparrow hawk hits a thermal it simply sores upwards. Rooks do not seem to be able to reach the same altitude.  If not the sparrow hawk waits the rooks are close then rolls and attacks with its talons upper most as they do when doing an aerial kill of a dove or pigeon. They do not seem to take out the rooks, must be the rubbish they eat makes them less tasty.

 

As for where have our garden birds gone, well today inside a customer’s conservatory. I had gone to feed their cats, no sign of the cats so I wandered out into the garden to look for them. On returning to the conservatory there was a female blackbird flying around. It took me ages to get it to fly out the door....I am not the best with birds flying around indoors. And as I locked up so the cats appeared, could have done with their help.

[chaz]

Where have the birds gone? Well I know it's not my garden but we spent a week recently in Norfolk and saw 100 (yes, exactly) different species, the following week in Suffolk the tally was 97 - not all the same, so the total for the two weeks was 121.

Three days in Anglesey gave me 66 species.

 

And my point? Well there are still plenty of birds to see but they are increasingly being concentrated in ghettos (errr...I mean reserves) with even common species becoming scarcer elsewhere. I fear that unless we all change our attitude to our environment things will only get worse.

 

Having said that, at the moment, we have starlings, a song thrush, and house sparrows visiting our garden feeders constantly and flying away with beak-fulls of food to feed their young.

 

Chaz

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Aft'noon all,

 

Our garden in the Staffordshire Moorlands is approx 10 yds square but I'm trying to get as many different habitats as possible into that space. The 'end game' intention being a wide variety of flora populated by as many different birds as possible. Habitats include: bark covering over heavy duty liner as a haven for spiders and detritivores which act as food for ground feeding birds such as Dunnock and Blackbird; any pruning of woody stems and branches is added to the bark; ground covering cotoneasters, the fruit of which is a favourite with bullfinches: small to large shrubs which act as perches and cover for various birds, even large tree species such as the handkerchief tree, lilac, maple & yew are planted as youngsters then cut down after 10 years or so as they get too big, the rotting stumps then attract the insects and birds in the same way as the ground cover bark does; blue tits and coal tits search for mites over many of them: dappled shade under some of the larger shrubs is encouraging other shrubs which prefer that environment; a dense hawthorn hedge is providing cover and nesting opportunities for small birds like sparrows; there are water bowls all around the garden which act as drinking water and bathing opportunities for various birds; crushed peanuts, meal worms, sunflower hearts, niger seed, coconut half shells filled with a fat mix attract and sustain another bevy of visitors e.g. siskin, goldfinch, chaffinch, greenfinch, great tit, lesser and greater spotted woodpecker, brambling, long tailed tit, starling, wood pigeon, jay, lesser and common redpolls, titbits of cheese are popular with magpie and wren. In wintertime segments of apple attract fieldfare and redwing. Scarcest visitors are goldcrest, blackcap, song thrush, mistle thrush and lesser spotted woodpecker. 39 species of bird, badger, fox, squirrel, frog and toad, giant wood wasp and 10ish species of butterfly is our current tally.

 

Dave         

Edited May 15, 2013 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71