Where have all our garden birds gone?

[PhilJ W]

I used to have a cherry tree in my back garden. The birds invariably got to the fruit first.

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, dhjgreen said:

I have tried in vain to find something which robins can get through but not starlings.  It seems their streamlined bodies get them though very small openings.  Good luck with your search, do tell if you are successful.

 

I have some caged (squirrel proof) feeders where the openings on some were just wide enough for young starlings to get through so I reduced the size a little by weaving some copper wire through the mesh.

Tits, Robins, Finches, & Sparrows can still get in but the Starlings cannot.

 

Actually the feeders are not being used much as the local birds now get plenty of fresh food from in the hedgerow between my garden & the next and the rest of the unkempt shrubbery in my garden

Edited May 29, 2020 by melmerby

[melmerby]

Somewhat later this year, the Swifts appeared for the first time on Wednesday.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

8 hours ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

Of course what I really want is a permanent entry and exit portal* to the fruit cage which the small insectivores can easily find, but too small for a blackbird and the like. Only the wrens manage this trick all by themselves, regularly see them in the cage, but never yet had to release one in over twenty years since it went up.

*This I have to say is a dream on my part. The birds just panic once they realise they are trapped, and it appears that's an instant memory erase of 'how I entered'.

 

Other than the wrens, which seem to have the confidence that a calm and orderly disposition will see them through and just get on with. And they are very expert insectivores.

[88D]

5 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I used to have a cherry tree in my back garden. The birds invariably got to the fruit first.

I have a very large cherry tree in the garden (49p bargain in Bolton Tesco mid 80s), and I have never managed to eat one cherry from it, birdies get loads every year.

[88D]

At last, when I had given up hope, the swallows are investigating the barn. Better cover up the 0 gauge stuff!

[steve1]

A wren has been seen in our garden for the first time.

 

Small aren’t they?

 

steve

[boxbrownie]

22 minutes ago, steve1 said:

A wren has been seen in our garden for the first time.

 

Small aren’t they?

 

steve

First time we ever saw a Wren was when we moved down here 5 years ago, I was amazed that how tiny they are.....and fast, now we are very used to them.......everywhere!

[Phil Bullock]

There are loads of them living along the Welsh Marches rivers... always great to see!

[jamie92208]

We have 4 mature cherry trees in the garden and yes the birds do like them. They can strip a tree in a day/night. However  at the moment the problem is eating enough of the sweet dark things. One tree's fruit is a bit tart but they make lovely charry brandy. 

 

The redstarts are still around. I've even been able to identify thevswift, tock, tock, tock that seems to be their alarm call.

 

Jamie

 

 

[Andrew1974]

Often seen in the garden, but not normally in the greenhouse until today

 

Edited May 30, 2020 by Andrew1974

[jbqfc]

a pair of black birds have taken to eating the berries of our Mahonia plant first time i have seen this in the six years it has been in 

the starling gang in the garden this morning trying to eat the string of the tomato plants 

starling by john brace, on Flickr

[melmerby]

On 29/05/2020 at 18:42, steve1 said:

A wren has been seen in our garden for the first time.

 

Small aren’t they?

 

steve

Probably been there all the time but unnoticed.

We get them, they spend almost all their time in the shrubbery or hedging, rarely venturing out like other birds.

They are looking for grubs.

[jbqfc]

we have now been invaded by blue tit fledgling counted 15 at one point with then the starlings and sparrows i am going through a pack of suet logs a day 

 

blue tits by john brace, on Flickr

 

the bird bath is also getting a lot of use 

 

blackbird by john brace, on Flickr

[Killybegs]

Our wrens fledged yesterday. They weren't too sure about it and it was over an hour between the first and final (5th) one leaving. They looked almost too big to get out, dwarfing their mother but they were probably just a bit fluffy. No tails to speak off and wings still not fully developed, so they spent most of the time on the ground. There appeared to be only one parent present who was getting quite frantic. She wasn't the only one, we were on constant lookout for the local cats. Despite our best efforts, the cats did get one chick while we were watching the efforts of the last two to leave the box. Once they were out mum took the remaining four to the relative safety of a hedge. Two cats were on the prowl all evening. We were alerted to their presence each time by mum's alarm call. It was a long evening spent chasing cats!

[Phil Bullock]

43 minutes ago, Killybegs said:

Our wrens fledged yesterday. They weren't too sure about it and it was over an hour between the first and final (5th) one leaving. They looked almost too big to get out, dwarfing their mother but they were probably just a bit fluffy. No tails to speak off and wings still not fully developed, so they spent most of the time on the ground. There appeared to be only one parent present who was getting quite frantic. She wasn't the only one, we were on constant lookout for the local cats. Despite our best efforts, the cats did get one chick while we were watching the efforts of the last two to leave the box. Once they were out mum took the remaining four to the relative safety of a hedge. Two cats were on the prowl all evening. We were alerted to their presence each time by mum's alarm call. It was a long evening spent chasing cats!

 

Well done John - have done the same job with our local blackbirds, cats and magpies aplenty here but the parents sure let you know when potential trouble is around....

[Southernman46]

Pretty much every Starling on the planet running about the lawn this morning rejoicing in the softened ground after the overnight rain - lots of parents teaching kids how to feed - great entertainment ……………………….. I love Starlings 

[Southernman46]

On 29/05/2020 at 13:31, melmerby said:

Somewhat later this year, the Swifts appeared for the first time on Wednesday.

Just the one so far in S. Summerzet

[Tim Dubya]

55 minutes ago, Southernman46 said:

Just the one so far in S. Summerzet

 

'erindoors spotted a couple the other day here in Bath.

[Barry Ten]

Visitor this morning.

 

 

I don't usually associate bullfinches with summer but there's been a pair of them lurking around for months. Similarly, our long tailed tits seem to be becoming year-round visitors to the garden.

[melmerby]

Saw an amusing episode yesterday.

 

An adult Blue Tit accompanied by a fledging arrived at the bird bath.

Adult went straight in and started splashing about in the water, getting a good all over wash.

Meanwhile the fledgling stood on the rim of the dish mimicking the adult's actions but not actually in the water!

After a few minutes and plenty of twittering between the birds the youngster ventured into the water and joined in the bathing.

[Tim Dubya]

1 hour ago, Barry Ten said:

Visitor this morning.

 

 

I don't usually associate bullfinches with summer...

 

 

We only see them in the garden for a couple of weeks during the summer only, although not yet this year.  Our neighbours up the road get them all the time.

I did find a dead juvenile in our garden a few years back, perfectly intact and away from any windows, so not a window or cat strike

 

I absolutely adore them.

 

Edited June 4, 2020 by Tim Dubya

[Barry Ten]

30 minutes ago, Tim Dubya said:

 

 

I absolutely adore them.

 

 

So do I!

 

 

[eastglosmog]

That blackbird sure is pushing his luck again:

 

[88D]

On 29/05/2020 at 18:41, 88D said:

At last, when I had given up hope, the swallows are investigating the barn. Better cover up the 0 gauge stuff!

And now they’ve decided to nest here again. Only two pairs this year, but better than none.