Where have all our garden birds gone?

[melmerby]

Plenty of insects for them too.

P

The "odd" season so far seems to have been a boon to much wildlife, with conditions right just when needed, so lots of insects, so lots of birds, butterflies and bats.

There's also plenty of unwanted (for gardeners) slugs and snails.

 

Keith

[Gruffalo]

The "odd" season so far seems to have been a boon to much wildlife, with conditions right just when needed, so lots of insects, so lots of birds, butterflies and bats.

There's also plenty of unwanted (for gardeners) slugs and snails.

 

Keith

Are the slugs abounding because Westminster is in recess?   

[lyndonsdad1]

If your van doesn't move, you might as well have a shed.

 

Geoff Endacott

With a comment such as that ,am I correct in thinking that you're a government minister?

[melmerby]

IMHO it's time to resurrect this topic.

 

How's your garden for birds right now?

I put a black sunflower seed feeder up and have increased the variety of birds quite a bit.

 

Several not seen before on a regular basis: long tailed tit, chaffinch, goldfinch and several others are now regulars.

 

Field-fares haven't been to gorge on the red berries so far! By now the berries would be quite depleted, with help from wood pigeons and blackbirds.

So far the Blackbirds have been more or less on their own with occasion tit interest.

 

Keith

[John M Upton]

Nearly all my birds disappeared about three to four weeks ago and haven't come back yet.

[shortliner]

AutumnWatch says that most Redwings and Fieldfares have not migrated in yet from Scandinavia, due to the headwinds caused by the Low pressure areas crossing the UK - we saw a singleton fieldfare the other day on the berry bushes here in the Northern Highlands. Multiple enormous Vicks of Geese arriving on the north-westerlies from Greenland via Iceland - the farmers stubble-fields are full of them. Apparently Robins migrate in from the Continent too

Edited November 1, 2013 by shortliner

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Evenin' all from the Staffs Moorlands,

 

I'm enjoying the lapwings on Tittesworth reservoir during my morning constitutional 1hr cycle ride but they've been the most noteworthy feathered variety that I've seen recently. The local sparrowhawk is still terrorising the garden bird population but it seems that it is usually a pigeon which makes the ultimate sacrifice. Collared doves, magpies, starlings, sparrows, goldfinches and blue tits are keeping me heading out to top up the feeders/bird table. More risk of the rain wetting the seeds and causing the onset of mildew etc just now...all feeders regularly dismantled and disinfected to prevent spread of any avian undesirable issues. First (for this autumntime) coconut half shell of fat/seed mix now  hanging off the bird table.

 

Dave

Edited November 1, 2013 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[Mallard60022]

I know that Potteric Carr isn't my garden (well not quite) but there isn't much going on there either at the moment. However, Black Tailed Godwits in residence on Wednesday.

In my actual garden we are back up to about 50 sparrows again (well we were until all that wind....haven't seen much of them this week).

P

Edited November 1, 2013 by Mallard60022

[DDolfelin]

Just the odd 'commoner' here - nothing of note yet.

(Unless one counts the exotica in the lanes - Guinea Fowl, Pheasants, Red Legged Partridge etc.,.)

[Phil Bullock]

Was at my brothers in Colchester last weekend

 

There was a muffled bump late in the afternoon  as a bird flew in to the patio window - in the morning there was the poor unfortunate with its neck broken

 

Thought initially it was a song thrush but closer examination revealed- a redwing, buff eye stripe and red under wing the keys

 

Strikes me that's an early migrant - any more spotted yet?

 

Phil

 

Edited November 1, 2013 by Phil Bullock

[chaz]

This weeks news from our tiny garden -

 

The small flock (15+) of house sparrows are daily visitors

pairs of goldfinches seen most days

a couple of dunnocks and our resident robin are always around

a mob of starlings (12+) descend in a noisy clamour whenever stuff on the feeders appeals to them

a chiffchaff landed in our tree but didn't stay long

a pair of collared doves visit daily

a magpie appears to be intent on digging up all the recently planted bulbs - why I don't know as it just hurls them about

we never have to wait long for blue tits and great tits to appear

 

last year the colder weather brought us great spotted woodpecker, reed bunting, bullfinch, redpoll and siskin so I'm looking forward to a proper winter again

 

Non garden PS

 

A recent week in Suffolk was a bit quiet on the bird front although on our last afternoon we were treated to a superb view of a short-eared owl over the scrape at Minsmere (panic amongst the ducks and waders). I couldn't get any snaps as my superb new Nikon decided not to be superb at all and stopped working.

 

We had a day at Cley reserve in Norfolk and were rewarded with a real rarity - a pallid swift. We were also pleased to see 200+ golden plovers - excellent birds - and five lapland buntings

 

Chaz

[DDolfelin]

"A recent week in Suffolk was a bit quiet on the bird front although on our last afternoon we were treated to a superb view of a short-eared owl over the scrape at Minsmere (panic amongst the ducks and waders). I couldn't get any snaps as my superb new Nikon decided not to be superb at all and stopped working.

 

We had a day at Cley reserve in Norfolk and were rewarded with a real rarity - a pallid swift. We were also pleased to see 200+ golden plovers - excellent birds - and five lapland buntings"

 

Wow!

[chaz]

"A recent week in Suffolk was a bit quiet on the bird front although on our last afternoon we were treated to a superb view of a short-eared owl over the scrape at Minsmere (panic amongst the ducks and waders). I couldn't get any snaps as my superb new Nikon decided not to be superb at all and stopped working.

 

We had a day at Cley reserve in Norfolk and were rewarded with a real rarity - a pallid swift. We were also pleased to see 200+ golden plovers - excellent birds - and five lapland buntings"

 

Wow!

 

Wow indeed. If you want an interesting day's bird watching the north coast of Norfolk is hard to beat, although the Suffolk coast in spring runs it a close second....

['CHARD]

About 0800 this morning we had the pleasure of a small hawk's company - doing a strange roosting dance on the front lawn.  Bear in mind the front lawn would barely fit a 6x4 train set, and he or she was only a metre or so from the window, this was a fantastic display.  We were alerted by our resident starling brigade putting up a fearsome warning chorus.  What the sparrowhawk was up to is anyone's guess.  At first we thought a sparrow had been taken, but there's no trace of feathers or blood, so maybe this was a benign and extraordinary visit!

 

EDIT: Sparrowhawk 

Edited November 9, 2013 by 'CHARD

[melmerby]

Still no sign of the Fieldfares or Redwings but plenty of others partaking of what's on offer.

 

We now get regular visits from Nuthatches on the sunflower seeds, they never came into the garden before!

Wagtails fairly common also around the other feeders - another new species for our garden.

Wood pigeons have started on the Pyracantha berries - at last.

 

Keith.

[bluebottle]

Since the start of February, I've had the pleasure of the company of a nightingale, which sings nightly in a whitebeam near my bedroom window. I'm no expert on birds, and this is the first nightingale that I've seen or knowingly heard, but as its perch is only a few feet away from a streetlamp, I can see it pretty distinctly. I can also leave the window ajar while I listen to a clip of song on Youtube for comparison. Looking at a couple of books, plus Wikipedia, it appears to be earlier and a little farther north than expected: because of the comparatively mild weather? If he's singing for a mate, the poor little sod might have a bit of a wait while others catch up with him.

I also wondered about what I read about the nightingale's usual habitat: I live in a busy suburb only two or three miles from Sheffield centre, so little “dense woodland undergrowth and swampy thickets”.

I just had to read the Wikipedia article "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square". This tells us:

“Berkeley Square is a large leafy square in Mayfair, an expensive part of London ... With its sweet, wistful song the European Robin is a likely source of the legendary Nightingale, as birds, stimulated by the street lights, can often be heard singing in cities during the night”.

The word “legendary” was added by an American, by the way.

Various editors have been adamant that any songbird heard in Berkeley Square could not possibly be a Nightingale. I like to think that they may be wrong.

 

[Budgie]

It could have been a blackbird; round here they sit in the trees and sing late into the night.

[bike2steam]

I've had the pleasure of the company of a nightingale,

You are indeed lucky - or it could be a Marsh Warbler which can mimic a Nightingale, but that's rarer. But what makes it all the more remarkable is that the Nightingale is normally only found in the south-east with it's main areas in Suffolk, and Kent - and it doesn't normally return 'till April Edited February 10, 2014 by bike2steam

[bluebottle]

It could have been a blackbird; round here they sit in the trees and sing late into the night.

 

No, I did get a fair sight of it in the street lighting as I came home late the other night; definitely a smallish brown job.

 

You are indeed lucky - or it could be a Marsh Warbler which can mimic a Nightingale, but that's rarer. But what makes it all the more remarkable is that the Nightingale is normally only found in the south-east with it's main areas in Suffolk, and Kent - and it doesn't normally return 'till April

 

If it's there again tonight, I'll try to get a photo. It won't be very good, but might help in identification.

[Budgie]

No, I did get a fair sight of it in the street lighting as I came home late the other night; definitely a smallish brown job.

Could be a female blackbird; they're brown rather than black.

[jonny777]

Could be a female blackbird; they're brown rather than black.

 

 

A female blackbird singing at this time of year? That would be almost as newsworthy as would a nightingale.

[Peter Bedding]

"Our" sparrowhawk is currently making his annual prolonged visit. Perhaps he likes niger-seed-fed goldfinches. His perch just outside of the kitchen window gives a clear view of his markings, but he's gone before I can get the camera into play.

[melmerby]

Our birds seem to be hiding from the blizzard we are currently experiencing!

 

Keith

[Adams442T]

Went for a walk which took me along the River Glen this morning and, unintentionally, disturbed a kingfisher which arrowed along just above the surface.  Wonderful sight in iridescent blue. 

 

We've often seen Herons along the Glen, and Vernatt's Drain (more like a river than it sounds!), in fact there are at least 4 nesting sites for them, but it's the first time I've seen a Kingfisher!

[Mallard60022]

Not my garden bird but I have a wonderful Song Thrush that sings in the park next to my workplace from about 05.30 every morning. Remarkably loud song too.

P