Where Are The Birds

[tamborine]

I used to see pigeons doves robins wrens finches woodpeckers owls crows magpies etc visit water trough & pond - now theres zilch/nowt/none/nada. My chickens still here, though theyre penned. No feathers or carcases either. None in the sky.

am surrounded by hedgerows & conifers but not a flutter. Something is an expert eradicator but what ? Foxes disappeared too.

[emmie]

pigeons probably migrate to the cities, more food, same for the foxes, robins are on the wane or so i read, owls are having their natural habits like barns turned into homes, also heard on the news, not sure of the magpies, we have lots here in the capital, you can hear from before seeing, doves no idea, loss of natural habitats for birds means less birds, they are having to go further afield to breed and lay eggs. Apart from that no idea.

[Tilly2]

All my birds disappear when there's a sparrowhawk about, tambo. It goes deathly quiet.
At the moment the garden is full of birds as we have just replenished the feeders. We had a lovely flock of long tailed tits around earleir

[emmie]

also says much the same

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/nov/19/uk-breeding-bird-population-decline

[tamborine]

Nearby tomato growers are now garden centres & 'petting' animal areas. Thats the only development closeby. Hrow T5 is new but not close.

Birds cant be shot or poisoned else I would have found a carcase ? Its warm today, they should be 'worming' the fields ?

[ladybirder]

Fear not, it's the weather being so mild that is keeping them away from the feeders.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/news/358947-missing-garden-birds

[emmie]

we have lost many of our native birds though, according to the RSPB

[ladybirder]

It is quiet here today, except for the ever present seagulls. But this summer I moved and now have a garden which is wonderful. I've put up a feeding station and am pleased to say I'm getting Blue/Coal/Great Tits, Greenfinches and Goldfinches, Blackbirds, a pair of Song Thrushes which are on the Red list, a Robin, two Jays, a Green Woodpecker which is on the Amber list, Blackcap but no wren. All on the Green list except those otherwise mentioned. But they have buzzed off somewhere else today I'm afraid. Shame, I love to watch them.

[Chipchopper]

I agree with Tilly and think a bird of prey is most likely.
They usually move on after a while.

[ladybirder]

So you think the RSPB are wrong in what they say then cc? Loads of people have been contacting them asking where are the birds? It seems to be pretty wide spread.

[seadogg]

The seabirds in the bay are still there in numbers but a definite decline in the variety of species A few years ago we had a colony of sandwich terns which brought the bonxies (Great Skuas). Last year there were none and this applies to other visitors.
A healthy stock of birds can cope with raptors like sparrow hawks. This situation 'aint their fault.