Wild Birds

[Robinia]

Merry Christmas to all the birdie people!
I was expecting to have far fewer birds this winter after the awful cold & wet summer that we had but I actually think I have more than usual. I did think I'd lost the reed buntings though until this morning when I spotted a couple - hurray! :o)
I'm in Derbyshire, how have they fared in your area?

[Yorks lad]

well looking at the amount of birdsi have in my garden they have done very well.

We are surounded by trees and lakes here in bolton so the wildlife is booming to say the least.

[garner]

Merry Christmas to you also Robinia.....Yes I have had my usual amount.Going through bird food and peanuts at a high rate,fat balls are now you see them now you dont lol.Pleased they are still coping with this awful cold weather.Im in South Yorkshire ,Oh we are very close Robinia.Rotherham.

[leelapops]

Hi Robinia, it is certainly a chilly time of year! Merry Christmas to you too. We only have a yard, and lots of cats in the area. The only birds we get are gulls and pigeons! However when we walk in the park I see plenty of robins, and also a Parrot...Apparently he loves in someone's garden, and is often spotted taking a wander...

I did see a lovely man who must've whizzed up an old loaf into tiny breadcrumbs, and was scattering them into bushes and placing neat little piles of crumbs in the trees in the park. :)

[moonshadow]

Fortunately we have had a bumper crop of berries on the Pyracantha covering the front of our house this year so there has been a lot of bird activity in this cold snap and like garner spending rather a lot on peanuts and seed.I had bought a tub of fat balls which I like to put out over Christmas but they have gone as well.We thought we had spotted a Reed Bunting on a walk at the local RSPB reserve a few days ago but it didn't have the usual dark head and it was a bit bedraggled. I had forgotten the binoculars and my eyesight isn't so good, so we will be going back for another look soon. Warmest wishes for Christmas Robinia and to all answerbank bird and animal lovers XX

[bensmum]

Happy Christmas Robinia and to all the birdie people!
I have about the same number in the garden as usual - haven't spotted the bullfinches yet this year but they did arrive a bit later in the winter last year. I have noticed that there seems to be a lot more blackbirds this year. I don't see reed buntings unfortunately but the birds I do have are so hungry and going through the food like there's no tomorrow. It's worth it though as I get so much pleasure watching them.

[Robinia]

thanks for your replies...it seems we all spend a fortune!...(we'll probably have the finger waggers along soon telling us we shouldn't feed them...well, bah! humbug to them just in case)
I've trees & lots of shrubs, some with berries, but as the older residents around here move or sadly pass away the new ones are chopping everything down.

There's a long way to go with the winter yet so let's hope it's not too severe
been like this every morning this week! :o)

[Thunderbird+]

Hello Robinia and merry Christmas to You!
I've not been lucky enough to see reed buntings in my garden (wrong habitat) but I do see plenty of Greater spotted woodpeckers, great, blue,and coal tits, robins and blackbirds to name a few. I'm keeping them well supplied especially if it's very cold, as I've noticed the berries in the hedgerows seem to have been stripped early this year and sloe's are scarce due to a virus that attacks the blackthorn.
BTW I like the cartoon! what we need is heated bird baths...now theres a thought ;-) Tbird+

[amsterdammer]

My garden was virtually empty of birds until about 4 weeks ago, when they all started to reappear.
Apart from the usual Great & blue tits, robins,blackbirds, starlings, rooks, etc. I have had several Yellow Wagtails, GrenfinchesJays, & even a Sparrowhawk, doubtlessly attracted by all the small birds! Costing me a fortune on the feeders, but well worth it.Happy Xmas to all you fellow bird lovers

[Cetti]

Hello Robi! How wonderful your Reedies have appeared. I kept meaning to ask as I don't think you mentioned them during the summer, did you?

In this particular area of Dorset there's not a lot going on as there are still loads of berries around. The usual Woodies and Blackbirds but also a lot of Great Tits singing and checking out the nest box - bit early....? Quite a few parties of juv goldfinches around the beeches in the last few days, plus a couple of visits from GS wood and madame sparrowhawk. Happy Christmas to you Robi and all the lovely Birdy People. XX

[Jules001]

I've had loads in my garden, a coal tit (never spotted it before) has been a regular visitor over the last few weeks. I now have 3 parakeets which are also regulars. I have had less great tits than usual, but the sparrows, robin who is getting very territorial, starlings and blue tits make up for them. I spotted something the other day which I have never seen before and I know from my books that they sometimes overwinter here and I was lucky enough to spot it was a blackcap.
I've now moved my bird table as the feeders tend to get frozen solid, so at least I can put some food out while they are defrosting. Have a very merry birdwatching Christmas

[burnhal]

been fairly quiet of late unitl the recent frosts. This morning the garden was full of assorted tits and finches within a couple of minutes of filling the feeders-. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary- though we did have a reed bunting last week which is unusual for Luton! Anyone noticed the numbers of fieldfares and redwings appear pretty high this year? None in the garden but plenty about- spent ages watching a sparrowhawk unsuccessfully chasing them yesterday.

[lankeela]

As a purveyor of all things bird food related, I am glad to hear you are all purchasing vast quantities of the stuff. I would apologise to you all for the price of peanuts, they have gone up by the ton an incredible amount due to the crops failing. Why not try substituting the peanuts with sunflower seeds - the black ones contain a higher fat content so keep the birds warmer during the cold weather, or try the sunflower hearts if you don't like the shells being left on your garden. Also the robins love mealworms, and these are becoming one of our best sellers. The fatballs are a firm favourite, just remember to check that nothing gets caught in the nets they come in, or better still remove them from the nets.

Don't skimp on the wild bird seed - buy the better quality and you will find there is less wheat in it and therefore less waste and not so much growing in your garden!
And don't forget - support your local market pet stall who will probably be much cheaper than the pet shop and certainly cheaper than the supermarkets.

Merry Christmas to you and your birds.

[lankeela]

Just had a thought, if you are stuck for ideas for Christmas presents why not buy a bird feeder and some seed - they are great gifts for young and old alike. The kids like to see the birds and its a great way to teach them respect for wildlife, and your granny will have something to watch out of the window other than the neighbours comings and goings.

[Robinia]

morning all!...it's another ice pick job on the bird baths...

it's great that we're all seeing a good variety but no thrushes? seems they really have dwindled. I'm like a big kid when I spot something a bit unusual - that's why I'm pleased about the buntings.

I already do all of the things you mention lankeela...luckily good seed isn't too expensive from my local pet shop & I buy black sunflowers which certainly bumped up the chaffinch & greenfinch numbers - word soon gets around!
I've recently bought a feeder for my sister...she was putting seed on her table & last winter found something had been happily storing it away in her wellies in the garage, the feet were full! :o)

oh & I am a granny - a very young one of course <cough> - & net curtain twitching is, of course, compulsory...ooh, the things I see...tut.

[Silvercat]

Im on border of Herefordshire and Shropshire and I think we have more birds than last year in the garden. Great tits, Blue tits and one I think is a Willow Tit. Sparrows, Greenfinches and Robins. And the beautiful Greater Spotted Woodpecker. Loads of Blackbirds also. We have a very cheeky Fieldfare at the moment who is very much boss of the appletree and the remaining windfalls. Where do fieldfares come from so quickly?? The first bit of frost and they turn up for the apples as if by magic.

I wonder if the wet summer was good for some of the birds?? plenty of slugs and snails etc., or did some of them move out of the flooded areas perhaps.

I was filling up the bird feeder last week and the most adorable little wood mouse came right up to me and sat eating a piece of flaked maize totally unafraid. I suppose hes the little beggar who eats my seeds in the greenhouse.

[fredpuli47]

Just one problem here. Thinking to be clever, I hung a bird feeder on a piece of string tied to the middle of a clothes line.'Birds will feel safe eating there', thought I.

Hasn't defeated the squirrels. I've seen one run along the clothes-line, starting the right way up but soon swinging underneath and completing the journey upside down. At the mid-point it just climbs down, nose first, to the feeder, takes what it wants, jumps down to the ground and makes off !

[Robinia]

ohh Silvercat, not the dreaded slugs!...I'm hoping this very cold weather will see some of them off this winter, I'm not lucky enough to have thrushes or fieldfares. I saw a mouse shoot under the shed door a few weeks ago after my little dog spotted it..he was completely flummoxed & looked at me as if to say 'How did it do that?' haha...he sat on guard until he realised it was a bit cold on the ole btm.
fred - a squirrel rolled my nut feeder away & I found it behind a shrub with the top gnawed & naturally all nuts gone....time to invest in some maximum security ones I think! and a friend saw a squirrel rolling one of those giant fatballs - now that I'd love to have seen :o)

[Kleiber]

Hi, Robinia and Merry Christmas to you, too!! I'm up a mountain in West Wales and was thrilled when I saw a lone starling in one of my fields this morning! (i know, you lot think they're common, but they're rare up here!) I've got woodpeckers, marsh tits, coal, willow, great and blue tits, finches galore and was chuffed to have a little brambling visit at the weekend. It seemed a bit too tame for its own safety and has now vanished (I hope it's not inside one of my cats, namely the little minx, Cleo, although I've never actually seen her catch a bird!). We've also got ravens and red kites. K xx