Birds
Bagpuss57
South West Posts: 256
A while ago I asked forum members advice on how to attract birds to my garden. I was pleasantly surprised that they started to flock in relatively quickly after planting more shrubs, and a small tree and after i moved my feeder to a better place. Since March I've had regular blackbirds and their young feeding in my garden and plenty of sparrows with the occasional Robin, Great-tit and Bluetit. HOWEVER!!! Since we had a bit of a heat wave they've ALL disappeared. That may just be coincidence. But at one point I was refilling my feeder at least once a week but now for over two weeks it's stayed full with no birds to be seen!!!! Where are they, why have they disappeared and how do I get them to feel safe and return??
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THEY ARE POSSIBLY MOULTING. SEE HERE.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/read-and-learn/fun-facts-and-articles/features/moult.aspx
OR PERHAPS A NEIGHBOUR HAS STARTED TO FEED THEM TOO.
Yes, it's the moult ... they'll be back
Thanks guys, that's encouraging news! I will keep a look out for their return. I do hope.tjry haven't decided.to go elsewhere. It's taken about 4 years of developing my garden before they even ventured in.
My birds are gradually returning, there is one blackbird who is in a right bedraggled state. He has been christened Tatty,but I haven't seen him for a day or two. Hopefully he will return all sleek and lovely
My feeders are not in use now; my cherry tree and other plants full of fruit or bugs are full of birds.
What have the birds got against my raspberries? Jackdaws ate the cherries, but the raspberries are unmolested. Not complaining! Just curious.
Birds will use garden feeders less in the summer for a variety of reasons. Most are breeding and not visiting gardens so much. Seed mixes are mostly unsuitable for baby birds so they are finding appropriate wild food. There are a lot of insects around now and birds, even the seed eaters, will be making the most of this.
I feed the birds year round in my garden but greatly reduce the amount between about May and October. I only keep one replenished now. The best thing you can do to attract birds in summer is grow plans with berries. Now Blackcaps and Blackbirds are gorging themselves on a wild cherry. you could try offering water in this hot dry weather . If there is no water source locally, they will drink from a low bowl of water. Place it near where you feed them so they'll find it easily.
My local blackbirds seem to moult in situ and dissapear afterwards, it has happened every year and sometimes is the middle of autumn before they reappear and I start to wonder if they have gone forever...
I look on it as an opportunity to spend less on bird food before winter begins
You might also find that you have some magpies nearby, and if they are nesting they do tend to frighten off other birds as magpies will eat others' young.
We've had magpies around for the last few years but this year they have nested in a tree in the garden and all the smaller birds like tits, finches and tree creepers have all gone. They don't normally disappear and we can only put it down to the magpies, especially as a game-keeping friend keeps talking about shooting the murdering b******s!