Haven`t seen Sparrows on my window feeder for 10 days or so, a bit concerned that they didn`t make it through the cold snap..... I put loads of things out for them, but it kept freezing.... definitely a lack of garden birds here... wonder what the RSPB garden survey will reveal at the end of the month!
Joey
im missing quite a few birds as well used to get heaps of green finches and gold finches but hardly any this winter and used to get a regular wren and blackcaps but none as of yet
All our sparrows seem to be here!
Haven`t seen Sparrows on my window feeder for 10 days or so, a bit concerned that they didn`t make it through the cold snap..... I put loads of things out for them, but it kept freezing.... definitely a lack of garden birds here... wonder what the RSPB garden survey will reveal at the end of the month!
Joey
Judging by the amount of bird food we've been selling in the shop, lots more people have been feeding the birds during the cold spell, so perhaps one of your neighbours is offering a better class of food than you.
I've had loads of sparrows in my garden, feeding on the Robin & Songbird food that is being put out on the wall.
All of our birds have disappeared, but this is because i changed seed type, they sit in the hedge just outside the garden and then nip into neighbours. No loyalty birds! wasn't my fault the good stuff was sold out.
There have been a lot of posts on other sites though about this, my thoughts are there is a possibility they seek natural food after a periods of harsh weather, to address imbalances in diet. As you say it will be interesting to see the bigger picture with the results.
I've never had Sparrows - Dunnocks, yes, but never any Sparrows!
All our birds are here (Blue/Great/Coal Tits, Blackbirds, Robins, Dunnocks, Chaffinches) but I will say that they go almost exclusively for the peanuts (but some activity at the fat balls)
The Wildbird seed is virtually untouched except some vandal has pecked through the seed feeder for the choice seeds (think it's the sunflower), spraying the remainder everywhere, where it remains. The Nyjer seed (not real - thistle seeds as I couldn't get the real one) has not been touched either
We are having a great time at the minute with our birds and everyday we are getting a lovely assortment of sparrows,starlings,dunnocks,woodpigeons,collared doves,goldfinches(new for us this year) a couple of robins,lots of blackbirds,jackdaws,a magpie,blue tits,great tits and a blackcap.
No idea why the chaffinches and greenfinches dont come though as they are around nearby gardens.
We are hoping the great tits will be back to nest in the box although both they and the blue tits have been peering into it lately and checking it out.
And hopefully the robins will again nest in the greenhouse bike helmet.
Am loving watching all the activity outside our window at the minute. Worth every penny we spend feeding them.
Tass
Lots of House Sparrows here too - and Dunnocks.
My Greenfinches have gone AWOL - not seen any for ages - had a couple pass through over the cold snap at Christmas but they've not been back since.
Have had Blackcaps visiting though - a female regularly and today there were a pair in the garden for most of the day
and for most of the winter we have had a solitary Grey Wagtail - didn't see it today or yesterday though
The Great Spotted Woodpeckers are obviously fussy - I used to buy the insect or berry fat balls which they loved - I asked my husband to get some when he was buying the dog food and he came home with a big tub of the plain fat balls - not seen a GSW since
A good tip for feeding woodpeckers - if you have any trees in your garden - is to smear some fat on the bark of a tree and then press birdfood onto it. The Robin & Songbird Crumble type of food is best.
We still have loads of sparrows!
Mine are still missing
Joey
Mine are still missing
Joey
You're obviously not putting out the sort of food they have come to prefer
Yes, perhaps you`re right WC... will be back to the shops tomorrow to get them something else!!!
Joey
Nothing to do with the food here - they're down in the village but never come up this way
Well guys - now I`ve got a dilemma... My sparrows are still missing, but blue tits have been on my feeder this morning - don`t know if to change the food and hope the sparrows have survived, and will come back... or leave things as they are and enjoy the blue tits!!!
Joey