Where have all our garden birds gone?

[alfsboy]

Signing in from Norfolk .Usual garden birds plus a Sparrowhawk. Our resident Thrush is singing for a mate .My wife Jean saw two hares at the Fairhaven Trust where we walk the dogs but I missed them .They were gone in flash .I was surprised this winter that we didnt see any Buntings and Fieldfares this year in our garden .Usually snow and cold bring them in to our large Hawthorn bush .Seen the first butterflies .My wife knows all the names. I just look and admire .nature is wonderful

Edited April 13, 2013 by alfsboy

[Poggy1165]

I'm tempted to say that we seem to be short of Magpies this year, but that instead there are an unusually high number of crows for a relatively urban location. However, a neighbour reported seeing no less than 16 magpies lined up on one of the opposite roofs, so perhaps they're just holding a parliament.

 

A recent scattering of pigeon feathers plus the odd wing beneath the pergola suggests that our local bird of prey is still at work. Not sure whether it's a kestrel or a sparrowhawk - as it tends not to hang about to be studied - but occasionally one of our feral pigeons or one of the growing colony of collared doves 'fails to return.'

[Mallard60022]

36E Swifts 2    Newhaven Neil Swifts 1   Loads of Chiff Chaffs at our local NR but so windy most stuff was grounded!

As for the garden, only a female Reed warbler (ringed) has turned up a couple of times in the last two weeks to make some variety.

I've also noticed a huge increase in the Crow and Jackdaw numbers this last year.

P

[Phil Bullock]

Another bonus of the sudden increase in temperature is lots of bees, which we hadn't seen any signs of since February but no butterflies around yet, since a small number seen in February.

 

Keith

 

Saw a flutterby in Cheltenham today. I was sat in a traffic jam and it was on a bed of nearby pansies. Not close enough to be sure but from its behaviour - continual local aerial sorties with a fast flight - I suspect it was a Comma; they are very territorial.

 

Phil

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Evenin' all,

 

First bumble for this year almost flew into me as I cycled down to Tittesworth this morning.

 

First brimstone also seen today. 

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[10800]

Actually saw a chiffchaff hopping about on the driveway this morning (after checking book to see what warbler it was).

[melmerby]

Evenin' all,

 

First bumble for this year almost flew into me as I cycled down to Tittesworth this morning.

 

First brimstone also seen today. 

 

Cheers

 

Dave

Here in Worcestershire first small bumblies were a week or more back, first big bumblies this weekend.

 

Keith

Edited April 15, 2013 by melmerby

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Hi Keith,

 

...with Spring coming later to the high Moorlands we usually have the first coach outing each year to a more Southerly or Easterly destination e.g. the Fens. The journey usually starts with bare countryside/remnants of Winter snow near home but progresses through daffodils and into blossoms, flowers etc as we travel. A couple of weeks later our own flora gets to the same stage and with it come the birds and the insects etc.

 

This mornings cycle ride was still between patches of snow in places.

 

Cheers

 

Dave     

Edited April 16, 2013 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[The Lurker]

Yes, in SE London, the bumble bees are coming in to the house through the open windows and the parakeets are pecking the blossom off the ornamental cherry tree, the foxes have found an alternative to last year's den under our decking and the magpies have a nest in the conifers at the end of the garden!

[Downendian]

Chiffchaff singing in the back garden here too in South Devon this morning.

Neil

[Mallard60022]

Single Housemartin over back garden - few days earlier than usual and around 10 days earlier than last year.

P 

[melmerby]

Hi Keith,

 

remnants of Winter snow near home

 

Cheers

 

Dave     

Last of the snow went from the lanes near here during last week.

Worcestershire didn't get much mention on the news during the snow-fest but some of the local country roads were blocked by deep snow, a week ago one local road was still partly blocked but is now totally clear.

 

Keith

[DDolfelin]

Well done for identifying Chiffchaff.

One of the more difficult birds to pin down.

[Debs.]

Saw and heard a flock of Skylark on our walkies this lovely morning...........an absolute joy!

[10800]

Well done for identifying Chiffchaff.

One of the more difficult birds to pin down.

 

So now you got me worried!  Assuming the alternative is a willow warbler, this was definitely more greeny-grey than greyey-green and the pale stripe above the eye was distinctly yellowish rather than creamy-grey (ref RSPB/DK Birds of Britain & Europe) - but not bright enough to be a wood warbler.  Usually you just hear them, which is a doddle.

[Downendian]

Willow warbler vs Chiffchaff - song easy, but don't they have different colour legs?

Edit : Collins field guide Chiffchaff dark brown/black legs, willow pinkish.

Neil

Edited April 16, 2013 by Downendian

[DDolfelin]

Yes, quite right.

Unfortunately, unless you nail them to a fence they tend to hop about and it's difficult to be sure in adverse light conditions.

[10800]

My book says yellowish-brown legs for the willow warbler.  As DDolfelin says it's not easy to tell when it's hopping about, especially on tarmac.  I'll try and look at its legs if I see it again.  At least I've now memorised what page of the book the little bu$$ers are on.

[DDolfelin]

A solitary redpoll today - see them about once a year.

[John M Upton]

Heard my first woodpecker at work this evening.

[Mallard60022]

Re WW v CC - don't bother identifying, just wait & listen to the songs!

Quack

[DDolfelin]

Siskins back this morning.

One of my favourites.

[melmerby]

Peacock Flutterby just seen in garden.

I wonder what it will be feeding on just now? Maybe the nettles? nothing else suitable in flower.

 

Keith

[Happy Hippo]

According to a sticker in the back of a car I saw this morning, the decline in songbird (and racing pigeons) is down solely to birds of prey.

 

I appreciate that Peregrine Falcons take racing pigeons, but I doubt if they are causing massive losses on the scale of the USAAF v Luftwaffe air battles of WWII.

 

Likewise, a poorly situated bird table is the Sparrowhawk equivalent of a MacDonalds drive-thru.

 

I'd suggest the answer is probably closer to home and your friendly domestic cat, the grey squirrel who is not adverse to eating either eggs or fledglings as is the Magpie.

 

Regards

 

Richard

[melmerby]

According to a sticker in the back of a car I saw this morning, the decline in songbird (and racing pigeons) is down solely to birds of prey.

 

I appreciate that Peregrine Falcons take racing pigeons, but I doubt if they are causing massive losses on the scale of the USAAF v Luftwaffe air battles of WWII.

 

Likewise, a poorly situated bird table is the Sparrowhawk equivalent of a MacDonalds drive-thru.

 

I'd suggest the answer is probably closer to home and your friendly domestic cat, the grey squirrel who is not adverse to eating either eggs or fledglings as is the Magpie.

 

Regards

 

Richard

I thought research had laid the blame squarely at the foot paw of the domestic moggie as the largest destroyer of garden birds.

 

Keith