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Post by Tringa on Dec 11, 2022 16:15:01 GMT
Has anyone else seen an influx of birds over the last few days of cold weather?
About 12 years ago we saw our first goldfinches in the garden here in London.
They stayed for a few weeks early each year and then disappeared. After a few years some remained and about 5 or 6 years later they were the most common bird in the garden.
For the last couple of years at least the numbers had dwindled. We still see them but generally in ones and twos.
However, today I counted 15 around a feeder and I think there were a few more too.
I wonder if the cold weather has driven local birds into gardens or driven birds further north to move south.
Dave
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Post by aeshna5 on Dec 11, 2022 19:14:04 GMT
Despite the extra food in my garden since the freeze, numbers have been disappointing. Certainly no influx in the garden. Far less House Sparrows in the garden. All I've noted has been 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, 2 or 3 Starlings, Robin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great, Coal & 3 Blue Tits. Haven't seen a Blackbird in the garden for a few months & numbers are generally low- rarely seeing more than 3 when out birding.
Good numbers of Redwing locally away from residential areas.
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Post by ianr on Dec 12, 2022 7:38:50 GMT
I don't tend to put much food out during the summer the birds don't bother with it in fact even the peanuts put out in non squirrel proof feeders have been left to rot. I do keep up with the water though and as the weather gets colder that's when I start to fill the feeders again. Numbers of birds here seem ok always starlings to be seen but they fly of for most of the day coming back in the afternoon. BH gulls a few common gulls not as many lesser black backed as normal the odd greater black backed and herring gull seen and heard everyday. If I throw scraps onto the shed flat roof by the time I travel the few yards to the door there'll be a couple of dozen gulls and the crow family on it. Followed by the blackbirds 'we have lots of blackbirds here' the sparrows and others pickup the smaller left overs. Good numbers of blue and great tits, often a family of long tailed tits a few robins and dunnock around greenfinch and goldfinch often up in the oak trees they don't come down into our small garden so much preferring the larger gardens. Chaffinch have been around lately. Aways magpie and jackdaw plus a few hundred rook over morning and night. There seem to be plenty of redwings and fieldfare in the street and garden trees and flying overhead. The odd skein of pinkies and a few whoopers. Heard a green woodpecker the other day not seen a greater spotted for a while. Owls at night in the wood Buzzards, sparrowhawks are regular kite, kestrel and peregrine not so much. Not to mention the woodies and about 40 feral pigeons. I think we do well for variety here. The smartest would be the 50+ waxwings that turned up every morning for a week or so and the most unusual garden ticks for here would be pheasant, moorhen and a woodcock. There a few years back though  ian |
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Post by accipiter on Dec 12, 2022 12:28:53 GMT
I cannot say I’ve noticed any change as far as numbers are concerned Dave. However, things may change as the winter marches on.
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Post by rowanberry on Dec 12, 2022 22:30:02 GMT
Our sparrows are definitely hungrier, but no new visitors. We've not seen a blackbird in ages- and our goldfinches have also vanished.  We used to get dozens, every day. |
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Post by Tringa on Dec 13, 2022 11:32:04 GMT
Thanks for the replies, all.
The goldfinches are still here. There were 10 or so about an hour ago.
Agree about blackbirds, Aeshna and Rb. Yesterday I saw the first one in weeks.
Dave
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We used to get dozens, every day.