Now I've not seen many Blackbirds around and they haven't really been visiting my feeders but tonight I go out and there's a couple - but there's also a dead one on the path with no obvious cause of death.

As I was speaking to my neighbour, we both saw another that wasn't flying too well and he said that he'd seen one that was not in the fittest of health. Now I appreciate it's cold but it's really not that cold and, as I say, there's plenty of food at my feeders.

Anyone with any ideas?

That`s a bit of a worry, isn`t it? Are you putting water out too, so that they can keep their feathers in best condition? A ping-pong ball on the water container might stop the water from freezing completely, especially if there`s a wind! The RSPB was on BBC news this morning, reminding us what a desperate struggle our garden birds are having in this weather... will be interesting to see what the annual RSPB birdwatch (30/31 Jan) reveals!

Joey

Yup, water bowl out each day - as you can see Mr(s) Robin is appreciative (taken yesterday morning)

....oh, lovely pic!

Thanks!

My first suspicion would be that someone (not you!) is putting out something which is unsuitable for the birds and the blackbirds have eaten it.

Yeah, it could be that, I guess. There's only the one neighbour (and they just feed birds - it's a bit of a competition: who can get the most and the best at their feeders! ) - and the farmer who has chickens and think it's possible that the Blackbirds have eaten the inevitable rat poison that'll he'll put down

That`s horrible news Markulous,all i get at our table is blackbirds,lol and don`t they crap alot lol,they are always doing it in the seeds,it`s disgusting.They`re also fussy with what they eat,they rumige through the seeds looking for perticular ones.