This morning I lay in bed listening to the dawn chorus (if you could call it that!) nothing but a cacophony of raucous Gulls, and two Collared Doves.
There used to be plenty of Doves calling to each other, and several Blackbirds singing merrily from the nearby trees and rooftops, and several other indeterminable smaller birds cheeping away.
That set me thinking, down the allotment which is surrounded by two Rugby pitches, several hedgerows and trees, this year it's been very quiet, there are usually loads of Swallows skimming low over the pitches, this year I've only seen two. I also had a gaggle of about a dozen hedge Sparrows flitting along my hedges - gone, I haven't seen a Song Thrush for almost three years, and so far this year I haven't even heard a Black bird let alone seen one!
My peanuts hang virtually untouched, my Tits have also disappeared. Whats happened to them all? it's rather worrying! - What usual visitors to your gardens are you missing this year?.
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Strangely enough was musing over the same issue last night. Haven't heard a Cuckoo for years.
Early Spring was deafened by the morning chorus and male Blackbirds fighting for supremacy but they seem to have gone. No Tits or Finches of any variety. Plenty of Wood Pigeons and the Pigeon loft in next doors garden is still as b***** noisy as ever :(
Did put up a couple of bird boxes early in the year but they haven't been touched. Have noticed some migration already in the form of the V patterns heading South.
Perhaps they've all migrated to the EU before Brexit.
Last edited by: Fullchat on Wed 22 Aug 18 at 09:59
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>> my Tits have also disappeared
They tend to head south as they get older.
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Birds are always less visible and indeed less audible in gardens in summer. The mating season Is saw over and food is plentiful in the countryside to where many disperse. It has been a bad year
for swallows, probably because of bad weather in North Africa and Southern Europe many never seem to have completed their migration.
Sadly many of our common birds are in decline, I haven’t see a greenfinch this year but have seen most of the regular suspects in my suburban back garden
This year since January I have seen in the garden
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Wren
Dunnock
Magpie
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Long Tailed Tit
Black Cap
Gold Finch
Chaffinch
House sparrow
Lesser Spotted Woofpecker
Green Woodpecker
Robin
Wood pigeon
Collared Dove,
The green woodpecker was digging for ants in the lawn last week. I often see a heron on my neighbours roof eying up his fish pond!
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Looking out of window Just seen a pair of buzzards!
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We've lots of magpies round here. I reckon they've deterred everything else apart from the pigeons.
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Plenty of gulls around at the coast in Devon last week :-)
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There seem to be plenty of magpies, wood pigeons and even red kites in this neck of the woods, but precious little else, it has to be said. There were swallows nesting in a neighbour's eaves which were incredible to watch in flight, changing direction incredibly quickly and putting on quite a display most evenings. What are very noticeable by their absence in recent years are the sparrows. They seem to have all but disappeared.
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>> Looking out of window Just seen a pair of buzzards!
>>
Our buzzards, which used to be commonplace, have now largely been driven away by the red kites. The buzzards make a gentle mewing noise, but the kites a kind of raucous whistling, exactly like over-enthusiastic fans at a musical event.
Woodpecker news:
Last year I reported on the pair of greater spotted that had excavated an enormous cavity inside an electricity pole, putting in danger the high-voltage power lines and our transformer bolted to the pole. A few months after I reported it, and the birds had safely nested and raised their young, the electricity people came and replaced the pole.
This year the woodpeckers have found a new skill, taking tool construction to a new level.
They have discovered that they can wedge hazel nuts in a fork between two branches in our plum tree, to hold the nut still while they hammer their way in to get the kernel.
Now they have improved on that, and excavated the crack so that a nut is a perfect fit in a cup at the bottom of the wedge.
This surely is an advance on monkeys merely finding handy sticks to reach things, or even shaping the stick so that it works better. This is widening the range of tools to include constructing an adjustable workmate. I have just read that great spotted woodpeckers do this for wallnuts too.
They have also invented a kind of musical instrument. They hammer on the metal capping on the top of our electricity pole, the pole making a good amplifier for their drumming so they can call their mate.
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They must all have flown East because I have the same list as CG apart from the Green Woodpecker but I can add a Pied Wagtail.
We sat outside at dusk last night and watched three hedgehogs come into the garden together and make a beeline for the food and water bowl that we fill each evening for them.
Now, I have four cats and my garden is never without birds in it and up to now this year, there hasn't been one caught at all.
Baby rabbits, voles, and mice seem to be their preferred diet.
The grass snake hasn't returned this year but the mole has.
Pat
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We usually have blackbirds, starlings, house sparrows, dunnocks, robins and blue tits feeding in the garden. Up until last month we had multiple juvenile starlings squabbling over the stuff Mrs B puts out for them.
Seen less of them lately but that may be down to plentiful food in hedgerows and fields with Autumn coming and harvest gathered etc. Also possible that fact we were sitting outside most evenings during the heatwave has affected their behaviour.
What we have missed in last couple of years are House Martins and Swallows. For well over 10 years Martins were nesting under ours and neighbours' eaves and raising at least one and often two clutches. By this time of year the evening sky would be full of them and swallows which must have been nesting in nearby barns etc. They arrived as normal in 2016, nested and seemed to have first clutch fledged when they disappeared overnight in early July.
They've not returned since and we're not seeing many swallows either. Swifts were present in the village from May but left as usual in early July. We still see odd ones on passage though.
We see Buzzards regularly and Red Kites are no longer rare. Presumably the Buckinghamshire and Rockingham Forest introductions will eventually combine and they'll become common. Sparrow Hawks also hunt in the area and took something in my garden a couple of months ago.
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Having seen the subject line I decided that this might make a song....
The first verse was easy,
Where have all the birds gone, long time passing
Where have all the birds gone, long time ago
Where have all the birds gone
gourmands francais ate them, every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?
My composing talents however are severely limited and my plan to create 'A Brexit remain anthem' lies in tatters. Ideally it should become circular, but the birds could migrate to the 2 legged variety?
So if we have any creative, likeminded genius on here, can you help me out, in the style of Pete Seager.
Last edited by: sherlock47 on Wed 22 Aug 18 at 11:52
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...without being personally creative, Dylan, as translated by Fairport Covention into French seems quite apposite.....
"Si tu dois partir......."
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Birds of prey semm definitely to be on the increase
In Norfolk this year I have seen
Red Kites
Peregrine Falcon
Buzzard
Marsh Harrier
Kestrel
Sparrow Hawk
Barn Owl
Little owl
Tawny owl
The last two heard only
Osprey has been reported near Ranworth but not personally seen this year
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Wed 22 Aug 18 at 12:03
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Dunno where you guys live, but this year I have had three nests in my garden (normally one), and we have reared one brood of blackbirds, one brood of thrushes (tho they has a 25% fall out rate - literally chick fell out the nest and got chewed by the dog) and the robins are on brood two.
We have had red kites flying overhead, two pairs now I suspect have migrated down from the chilterns feeding station, common buzzard about, regular visitors include a sparrow hawk or two, some tits, a few sparrows, and a twitchy little black and white bird I cant be bothered to identify.
Fortunately I now dont hear of the nasty Surrey Ring-necked parakeet's.
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>>a twitchy little black and white bird <<
That'll be a Pied Wagtail.
www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/pied-wagtail/
Pat
Last edited by: Pat on Wed 22 Aug 18 at 15:49
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>> >>a twitchy little black and white bird <<
>>
>> That'll be a Pied Wagtail.
>>
>> www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/pied-wagtail/
>>
>> Pat
yer, thats the one.
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Re birds It is silent in my garden. So sad
"Fortunately I now dont hear of the nasty Surrey Ring-necked parakeet's. "
Yes even they have generally flown off to annoy others.
Feral pideons are a very rare sight in my garden
A regular blue tit on the peanuts and blessed wood pigeons. Thats it.
The local sparrows now gone.
I have 10kg of bird seed in stock but no birds come to my feeders.
House cats next door but no others in neighbouring houses.
Recenlly had
Blackbirds
Collar doves
Great tits
Robin
Magpies ( not missed)
Have heard a wren
Used to have
Long tailed tits
Coal tits
Starlings
Woodpecker
Jackdaws
and others
Only seen a Sparrowhawk three times in 40 years
Gone a long time ago
2 x Thrushes
Vast numbers of
Swifts
House Martins
Swallows
Their food source went. Filter beds all filled in for housing .
P.S. I cannot remember the last time I used fly squash remover on the car.
Gone are the days when the evidence of a blast in the country side was a car splattered in bugs.
A major food source removed by farmers?
Reported that there are only three large groups of sparrows in London and Paris has lost many of its sparrows
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>>"Fortunately I now dont hear of the nasty Surrey Ring-necked parakeet's. "
I spoke too soon.
I do not hear them but they are the number one suspect for a dawn raid.
30 totally clean plum stones from my Victoria plum tree on the lawn this morning.
I guess I will have to pick the rest of the crop rather than supply the green bandits.
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>> I spoke too soon.
>> I do not hear them but they are the number one suspect for a dawn
>> raid.
>> 30 totally clean plum stones from my Victoria plum tree on the lawn this morning.
>> I guess I will have to pick the rest of the crop rather than supply
>> the green bandits.
I blame that Humphrey Bogart!
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I blame Mogden . Who can blame the green bandits for wanting to escape from Worton with that sort of neighbour .
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>> I blame Mogden . Who can blame the green bandits for wanting to escape from
>> Worton with that sort of neighbour .
I was all set to argue with you and say that it was filmed at Shepperton. I would have been wrong;-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_African_Queen_(film)
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I was a local and I spent my first 20+ years of my life on the "posh" side of the Crane and we knew all about the wrong wind direction from Mogden.
We used to go scrumping apples next to the Mogden Isolation Hospital ( now Tescos).
The orchards are now houses.
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>> I blame Mogden . Who can blame the green bandits for wanting to escape from
>> Worton with that sort of neighbour .
Fear not, the damn noisy things are now a fav snack for lots of birds of prey...
www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/nature-studies-london-s-beautiful-parakeets-have-a-new-enemy-to-deal-with-10305901.html
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Oh, and it appears we have acquired a hedgehog.
Haven't found the little blighter yet, suspect its under the shrubbery. First noticed when a small little freshly dug scrape hole appeared int he lawn, then noticed a fresh run had appeared under the fence, too small for a fox. Then the dog started acting a bit curious at night, and finally last night it all came to a head.
Dog went out and disappeared for ages, came back with a flea on its nose. Mrs then went out to put stuff in the bin, and came back saying we had something scuffling around in the garden, so at 23:00 I went out with a torch and heard something snuffling up the dead leaves under the shrubbery, only stopping when I went down on hands and knees and stuck my head and torch under there.
We had one before about 15 years ago, glad to know they are back. Cant put food out, the dog would eat it, so leaving water for it at least.
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Lucklly I can see the tree lined edge of the canal from my back garden, can hear woodpeckers daily, a couple of owls occasionally, a 5 minute walk gets me to see herons and kingfishers on a daily basis. There are badgers (the dog rolled in the mouldering remains of a dead one) foxes, a few mink from time to time, and deer use it has a green highway.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 22 Aug 18 at 16:57
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From my window I can see two condors and a very annoying parrot. Though one of the cats will have that if it's not careful.
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Usually have plenty of birds around my way, especially blackbirds and finches plus, of course, pigeons.
However, the long, hot spell with no rain seems to have hit a lot of birds, but they are slowly returning.
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We had one before about 15 years ago, glad to know they are back. Cant put food out, the dog would eat it, so leaving water for it at least.
No need for special food. One of hedgehogs' favourite foods is dog poo which no doubt you have in plenty.
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>> We had one before about 15 years ago, glad to know they are back. Cant
>> put food out, the dog would eat it, so leaving water for it at least.
>>
>> No need for special food. One of hedgehogs' favourite foods is dog poo which no
>> doubt you have in plenty.
probably why they are back
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When we move into our house our house 20 years ago hardly a bird was to be seen. The house was new on a small estate and the garden was bare compacted earth with no shrubs or plants. The soil was practically devoid of life - not a worm to be seen.
Over the year I have planted the garden with numerous shrubs and plants which are now quite dense in places. There is plenty of cover for nesting and evading predators.
I try to compost most green waste and return it to the soil. I keep the area by the compost bins a little untidy with a pile of wood
I have a couple of bird feeding stations and always keeo a bird bath topped up. The garden is now quite rich in wildlife, not just birds but also squirrels, hedgehogs, mice, shrews frogs and bats have been spotted and even a rat (found it dead in the bottom of a water butt, at least my wife did). The flowers are humming with bees and it has been a good year for butterflies although the once common small tortoiseshell seems to have gone into a decline.
Gardens can be a haven for wildlife. They can provide a much more fertile and varied environment than much of the countryside. The huge barley and wheat fields of Norfolk sprayed with herbicide and pesticides support hardly any wildlife all.
This years looking to be a great year for fungi. The combination of warm soil and rain is what they like. Must have been twenty field mushrooms in the flower bed this morning!
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>> Oh, and it appears we have acquired a hedgehog.
Had a few of them. One died in my garden a couple of years ago, disembowelled by my neighbours strimmer. One made a daytime nest under our giant hostas, saw it coming and going up the garden with twigs and bits in its mouth looking like it had a moustache. Hostas never bothered by slugs and snails that year, as we also found a frog or toad had set up home under them.
Found a dropping the other day, too small for the cat that's crapping daily on my grass, right royal PITA if the mower or strimmer find it (the cat's carp that is)!
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Hedgehogs - love them or hate them?
Following a an incident at the age of about 13 when I trod on a poor animal (not sure whether it was already dead?) in long grass whilst wearing open sandals I still have a deep seated disgust associated with the creatures. I remember spines being extracted from my foot, and a wound which turned septic needing antibiotics.
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Has the lesser spotted woofpecker been after the dog again CGN?😀
Last edited by: helicopter on Thu 23 Aug 18 at 08:18
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There are a lot of birds mentioned on here that remind me they are also missing from here as well! My mate says they regularly have four occupied House Martin nests under their eaves, although the nests are still there this year, not one pair of Martins have returned. Talking of Hedgehogs, I would love a couple down on my allotment, so if anyone has a couple spare, box em up and send them to me!! ;-)
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I have a pic taken with the wildlife cam of one of our hedgehogs and one of the cats eating out of dishes next door to each other but I don't know how to post it on here!
I think it's called mutual respect, cats have claws , hedgehogs have spikes so we may as well get along together.
Now if only Remainers and Brexiteers could do that.......:)
Paty
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I don't think that's the best analogy.
For a less controversial one, how about the Cold War? :)
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>> Now if only Remainers and Brexiteers could do that.......:)
The hedgehog is stupid and voted to ruin the gardens sustainability so both the cat and the hedgehog are bucked.
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Local to us we have a lot of green Parakeets (sound like Sweep as in Sooty & Sweep). Surprised they survive the winters.
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Mail from BTO this morning.
Many people are commenting on the absence of birds in their gardens. There's always a lull in birds visiting gardens after the breeding season. It's a time when the birds will replace their feathers and are a little less manoeuvrable on the wing. As a result, birds can be more secretive. This time of year also offers plenty of natural foods for birds in the wider countryside, including a berry crop ripe for the taking.
The reporting rate for Blackbird, our most commonly seen garden bird, falls by a substantial 20% between June and September.
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Where have all the Birds gone? - Fullchat
