Thrushes

[Robinia]

Where have all the song thrushes gone?  Have they just dwindled or moved to different areas - gone south maybe? I live in Derbyshire, have a chemical-free not too tidy garden, hedges not fences, lots of slugs & snails & yet never see my favourite birds anymore.

[FP]

I am lucky enough to still have them noddy.  Like you I have a chemical free garden, etc.  Having said them I only ever see one or two occasionally.  We live in an area surrounded by intensive farming in Norfolk.  I have formed an oasis in the middle!   I think they are a threatened species.

[FP]

error:  Having said that

[Robinia]

I didn't want to highjack priyawarekar's Q above.  Cetti if you read this - suspect you will - Boa's sounds spot on!  Who's going to be chief constrictor?

[Robinia]

Wow Fp that was quick - were you ready to swoop?

That's lovely that you have them, if ever they have a territory shortage tell them I've room to spare!

[Lindy Loo]

Unfortunately we don't have many birds round here.... the cat, magpie and crow population are too high. But I do get blackbirds and visiting Red Wing in the winter on the pyracanthia bush.... they love the berries

[smudge]

Hi noddy - still on the subject of birds - we have lots of song birds here in a town in Bedfordshire, including the song thrush. It's probably because they get spoilt with all those nuts & fat balls we buy for them!

 

From a member of the Boa's club -x-!

[FP]

Please can I join the Boa's Club?

[Robinia]

Of course Fp, bring a cake -  for us not the birds!

Smudge hope all was ok on Friday?

[Cetti]

Greetings Boa's!

It's just not fair is it noddy, our garden is also a would be paradise, but all I've seen in the last couple of months are the Dunnocks and a couple of Sparrows. They have feeders and birdtables packed full of goodies but I don't think we're on the right flight path, but never mind we are on the migration route so spring and early autumn we do see quite a few of the rarities.

 

To be serious for just a mo - I would urge Fakeplastic and smudge (and anyone else interested!) that if they can spare the time to jot down their garden sightings, particularly of Song or Mistle Thrushes and either send them to the BTO or to get in touch with their County Recorder - and e-mail them. The reason being that the Song Thrush is in rapid decline and is presently on the Amber  list, whilst the Mistle is on the Red - so  it would be a great help - and it would also make you feel very smug knowing you were doing such a worthwhile job!

[FP]

Ooh, I'm excited, I've been accepted into a very exclusive club (even better than the Masons, Smudge)

 

Cetti a Mistle Thrush nested in our wilderness 2 years ago.  I haven't seen her since though. 

 

At the moment, we have simply loads of bluetits.  Also this last week we have entertained greater spotted woodpeckers, tree sparrows, blackbirds, dunnocks, great tits, greenfinch, chaffinch, collared doves, woodpigeons, robins and wrens and songthrush (sometimes), not forgetting the good old starlings. The Jackdaws are always around entertaining us, as well.  Oh, and I mustn't forget the pheasants and partridges hiding from the shoots!  We do get the occasional moorhens and ducks! 

 

We certainly must keep each other posted with our sightings.

[FP]

Cetti, I did belong to the RSPB until they started culling the Ruddy Ducks just because they were heading over to spain and breeding with other varieties.  I don't believe in culling.  I think we should let nature take its course.

 

Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention my barn owls who sit on the roof outside our bedroom window and insist on keeping us awake!

[Cetti]

Oh Fakeplastic, I would be in heaven to have just a few of your visitors. You are a very lucky lass....Norfolk is the Mecca of the birdworld, isn't it?

No,I don't belong to the RSPB either, simply because I not only think it's far too pricey, but also for the very reason you mentioned. You only have to go to the nearest park to see at least a dozen hybrids where the local Mallard has 'fancied' a similar specie - and are all the Mallards being culled - of course not....!!!

If noddy agrees (after all, this is her thread) it would be wonderful  to keep up the birdy postings.

[FP]

Hi Cetti,  We have an Owl and Birds of Prey Trust Reserve only 1.5 miles away and I often take the dogs along a disused railway line through the reserve.  Was lucky enough to see quite a few Marsh Harriers this year.  I live in North West Norfolk near to Fakenham and we have a wonderful coastine which is a protected area of National interest.  The birdlife here is fantastic, but has suffered so much due to the intensive farming.  I am so, so proud of my tree sparrows.

[Robinia]

Great idea Cetti about the birdy postings but we'll have to turn it into a Q or we'll have the ed after us - hope this doesn't get wiped for being too chatty. I have all the birds you mention Fp, (except jackdaws & pheasants) as well as the odd pigeon or two - we often used to see one particular sparrow who, at nesting time, followed the pigeons & pulled out their feathers as they walked about!

All new club members welcome - especially Chris Packham!

[MORELLO]

Same place as all the sparrows? All we get in Liverpool these days are loads of horrible starlings.

[molly]

We have song thrushes in our garden (SW Scotland). They nested in our hedge in the spring and sound beautiful when they sit on the roof and sing their little hearts out.

We also have blue / coal / great tits, chaffinches, greenfinches, wrens, dunnocks, blackbirds, and robins coming to our bird table / feeders. On Saturday we had a robin fly into our kitchen. You can't imagine the fun and games we had trying to get it back out.

Sadly it's been a long time since we've seen a sparrow in the garden, or a starling come to that. Plenty of magpies and wood pidgeons though. 

 

[FP]

Molly, you have to join the BOA's.  Nice to hear of your birds.  I'll send you some sparrows and starlings up to Scotland.  Mine are costing a fortune in Bird Food!

[Robinia]

That's lovely Molly as Fakeplastic says you can have some of my abundant birds in exchange for a few thrushes.  As I type this I've a garden full of birds plus a squirrel & a magpie (!) They must have drawn up a peace treaty!

[molly]

At the risk of sounding a bit thick, em ... What's  the Boa's club?

I'd gladly have some of your sparrows, not so sure about the starlings though. I'll send you some of my thrushes. We have one or two Birds of prey -- do you want them as well???

 

[Robinia]

Molly, I suggested to a couple of regular female 'AB friends' that we could be the Birdwomen of Answerbank & Cetti thought we'd sound a little more scary if we shortened it to Boa's!

No birds of prey thank you. Last weekend I saw a hawk drop a poor half dead collared dove & I had to ask a neighbour to put it out of it's misery. I couldn't do it but there really was no hope for it, it was bleeding from both ends.  I know it's nature but I still get upset by it.