Difference this year

[MilosMum]

Anyone else noticing a huge difference in populations round their bird feeders this year?

Last few years we've had a really good mix - sparrows, bluetits, finches, collared doves, starlings and some of the bigger species like Magpies and wood pigeons.

But this year there are a lot less - I havent seen any gold finches or very many bluetits - we've also noticed a lot less Swallows - the telephone lines out at the back are usually laden with them late evening and I have only seen 4 or 5 this year.

Actually - come to think about it I havent seen many thrushes or blackbirds either.......

[agrumpycow]

This is the first year I've actively fed the birds in my garden and I'm pleasantly surprised at how many birds hang around the garden on a daily basis: coal tits, great tits, blue tits, house sparrows, dunnocks, robins, collared doves, wood pigeons, blackbirds, starlings, magpies, carrion crows, jackdaws and chaffinch on one or two occasions. And a lot of 'fly-overs' which haven't landed such as red kite, swift, jay, etc.
Although not a particularly 'exotic' mix I'm really pleased considering this is a small (30x30ft) suburban garden.

[smartie]

I can't say I have noticed any great differences. We've got a species count of 23 at the feeders this year, which if anything is a few more than last. Bullfinches are new - we've only previously had the occasional hit and run feeding on the ivy, but we seem to have a semi-resident pair now. The only noticeable absentees have been siskins, which we haven't seen at all this year. Plenty of tits - in fact we're awash with them at present, as there are rival families of blue and great tits teaching their chicks how to get food from the feeders.

[GuyF]

Around here I've noticed the complete opposite, possibly the bad weather has made the parents more desperate for food, but we're getting larger numbers and a bigger variety of species to the feeders this spring.
Also, we've changed the feeding station around which may have drawn in more birds. At the moment our large seed feeder is emptying daily!
Its nice seeing all the birds but we're running out of food fast!
Maybe they're local differences?

[Ann2]

I'd have to agree with Guy. When I first bought my house (about 8 years ago) there were very few birds in the neighbourhood. This year has seen a dramatic increase in birds visiting my garden.

I too have moved my feeding station and it seems to have helped.

Ann

[suetblocks]

Another person who has to agree with Guy. In the last few days weve had LOADS of birds in the garden especially the finches, starlings and sparrows.

[toadpole]

Compared to the last few years my garden has a bit of a *feeding frenzy* going on this yr ...I cannot keep up with the amount of birds that i had in the winter ...and as for now ....mostly it is the tit families ...and loads of great tit chicks ...which seem to be very (how shall i put this ) thick !!!! I have even had sparrows ...which i have never ever seen feeding before Yesterday i had 2 thrushes ...which was soooo lovely to see ....cannot remember the last time i saw one anywhere ....and I too never had my lovely siskins this yr ....had a flock of 30 or so every day last yr feeding on my shed roof ....but lots of nuthatches even now .....wonderful ....Marion

[John]

Well I must be bucking the trend because this morning, before I went to work, I was opened mouthed at the amount of familys in my garden. A family of Greenfinches bathing in the small stream I have built, Blue and Great Tit familiy's all over the place. Dunnocks and their chicks foraging around one of the tables plus one of the adults was standing near the small waterfall I have created and picking at a bit of weed, Goldfinch family's on and around another feeding station, quite a few Blackbirds throughout the garden and a pair of Robins nipping in and out of a nest they have built at the bottom of the garden plus the other two feeder stations still had plenty of birds on them also.

It was an absolute hive of activity and I didn't want to leave to go to work.

John

[toadpole]

I know what you mean ....its just that something new happens every day ...and its all so wonderful to watch ...and the moment you go and make a cup of tea or as you say go out ...you just know you are going to miss something special ...last week my friend rang me 3 times (she can talk for England)....and every time she rang a family of sparrows seem to come to my birdtables (very rare sight )..or something equally as rare for me ..and i dont think i listened to a word she said ...(hope i did not agree to anything bad ) and I think once i told her i had to go as someone was at the door !!(sorry theresa)...but i seem to be living in my garden at the moment treasuring every moment i can its that important to me .Marion