Verdun, starlings numbers have reduced by over 60% since the 1970s - they're on the Red List for conservation concern.
The reason for the decline in numbers seems to be an accumulation of several factors - lack of suitable nest sites due to refurbishment of old buildings etc. - changes in farming practices eg a uge reduction in the number of dairy farms with their permanent grazing pastures containing the high number of invertebrates that they need, especially for feeding the nestlings, and of course, the drier summers which also mean a reduction in soil invertebrates.
The large flocks we see performing their murmurations near the winter roosts contain a huge number of winter migrants from as far away as northern Russia.
Until a few months ago, I had collared doves, wood pidgeons and magpies regularly visiting my garden. However, all have now been caught and eaten by the sparrow hawk(s). Just two wood pidgeons remain along with blackbirds and sparrows.
Verdun, song thrushes are also on the Red List - their numbers have declined by over 50% between 1970 and 1995 - again changes in farming practices and an increase in the occurrence of dry summers is believed to be the main cause.coupled with the effects of the use of slug and snail pellets - snails are an important food source for thrushes in dry periods when worms and other invertebrates move deeper in the soil to seek moisture.
We see song thrushes when we visit OH's mum, she lives opposite a churchyard with a stone wall all around which has homes for lots of snails - we also see them when we visit this nature reserve nearby http://fbhh.org.uk/ .
Last summer I was thrilled to hear a song thrush singing near to our home on several evenings, and I've also heard it a few times this year - hopefully the talked about increase in their numbers is true.
“I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh
For ages I could hear collared doves but only saw wood pigeons in the garden (but never heard them) - there seem to be about equal numbers of both, but from what I have seen it is the wood pigeons that feasted on the grass seed I sowed eariler in the year, the collared doves here seem more shy.
There seem to be more magpies around here, although the pair nesting in my almost naked pine (I can't understand why they adandoned the sycamore which is more stable and has dense foliage, although not when they started building) are very aggressive and seem to keep all the others away at the moment - they are terribly noisy!
I was up at my parents place a couple of weeks ago, they have a couple of collared doves, I could head collared and wood pigeons calling from time to time, but the grey birds in the garden weren't wood pigeons, nor were they feral - they were rock doves. They have lived there about 7 years now and I had never noticed the rock doves before, there aren't many places you can still see them but at one point there were 5 or 6 on the lawn at the same time, mostly males pursuing a single female...
I just wish my skills were better at recognizing raptors whilst keeping my eyes on the road! The one that dived across in front of me, grabbed something from the verge and then flew back across in front of me was pretty big, must have been a buzzard or larger - there was a flash of white but I don't think it was the tail, under the wings I think. Then on the way home there was another massive raptor soaring over the edge of a wooded area, surely too big to be anything but an eagle, although it was not too far from where I have seen red kites several times - I don't think it had a kite tail, but I only got the smallest of glimpses....
I didn't know song thrushes were reducing ,im woken up around 3.00 am every morning too its singing ... ive also got a bird pkay this sounds really silly that got a call like a mobile phone the old style noise it must be some sort of crow I feel ... it mimmicks noises .... the doves are stil on the beat so to speak there that fat im sure they cant fly very well hehe
We have 2 woodpidgeons in our garden we called George & Mildred haha! Between them & the starlings they absolutely trash our bird feeders!! I even put food out on the bird tables for them. But oh no .... They'd rather trash the bird feeders which are meant to be for the little birds!
Having said that the black birds & the pair of collared doves (Margo & Jerry) do a great job cleaning up!!!
Posts
Verdun, starlings numbers have reduced by over 60% since the 1970s - they're on the Red List for conservation concern.
The reason for the decline in numbers seems to be an accumulation of several factors - lack of suitable nest sites due to refurbishment of old buildings etc. - changes in farming practices eg a uge reduction in the number of dairy farms with their permanent grazing pastures containing the high number of invertebrates that they need, especially for feeding the nestlings, and of course, the drier summers which also mean a reduction in soil invertebrates.
The large flocks we see performing their murmurations near the winter roosts contain a huge number of winter migrants from as far away as northern Russia.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/starling/population_conservation.aspx
We have lots of Doves, some wood pidgeons, magpies in abundance and a couple of crows
Don't worry Susan Porter we are jus chating.
Until a few months ago, I had collared doves, wood pidgeons and magpies regularly visiting my garden. However, all have now been caught and eaten by the sparrow hawk(s). Just two wood pidgeons remain along with blackbirds and sparrows.
Verdun, song thrushes are also on the Red List - their numbers have declined by over 50% between 1970 and 1995 - again changes in farming practices and an increase in the occurrence of dry summers is believed to be the main cause.coupled with the effects of the use of slug and snail pellets - snails are an important food source for thrushes in dry periods when worms and other invertebrates move deeper in the soil to seek moisture.
http://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/shared_documents/gbw/associated_files/bird-table-59-2009-song-thrush-article.pdf
https://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/songthrush/
We see song thrushes when we visit OH's mum, she lives opposite a churchyard with a stone wall all around which has homes for lots of snails - we also see them when we visit this nature reserve nearby http://fbhh.org.uk/ .
Last summer I was thrilled to hear a song thrush singing near to our home on several evenings, and I've also heard it a few times this year - hopefully the talked about increase in their numbers is true.
For ages I could hear collared doves but only saw wood pigeons in the garden (but never heard them) - there seem to be about equal numbers of both, but from what I have seen it is the wood pigeons that feasted on the grass seed I sowed eariler in the year, the collared doves here seem more shy.
There seem to be more magpies around here, although the pair nesting in my almost naked pine (I can't understand why they adandoned the sycamore which is more stable and has dense foliage, although not when they started building) are very aggressive and seem to keep all the others away at the moment - they are terribly noisy!
I was up at my parents place a couple of weeks ago, they have a couple of collared doves, I could head collared and wood pigeons calling from time to time, but the grey birds in the garden weren't wood pigeons, nor were they feral - they were rock doves. They have lived there about 7 years now and I had never noticed the rock doves before, there aren't many places you can still see them but at one point there were 5 or 6 on the lawn at the same time, mostly males pursuing a single female...
I just wish my skills were better at recognizing raptors whilst keeping my eyes on the road! The one that dived across in front of me, grabbed something from the verge and then flew back across in front of me was pretty big, must have been a buzzard or larger - there was a flash of white but I don't think it was the tail, under the wings I think. Then on the way home there was another massive raptor soaring over the edge of a wooded area, surely too big to be anything but an eagle, although it was not too far from where I have seen red kites several times - I don't think it had a kite tail, but I only got the smallest of glimpses....
I didn't know song thrushes were reducing ,im woken up around 3.00 am every morning too its singing ... ive also got a bird pkay this sounds really silly that got a call like a mobile phone the old style noise it must be some sort of crow I feel ... it mimmicks noises .... the doves are stil on the beat so to speak there that fat im sure they cant fly very well hehe
Having said that the black birds & the pair of collared doves (Margo & Jerry) do a great job cleaning up!!!