Have the birds dissapeared to fields and woodland ?

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

I`m not sure about anyone else but our bird count is down quite a bit since the snow melted away, i`m just wondering if they have gone looking for natural food in fields and woodland.

Normally we have approx 30 blackbirds in the area, ive seen no more than 2 on the lawn at the same time recently, the fieldfares and redwings have dissapeared but i expected that as this year is the first time we have seen them and they arrived during the heavy snow, they have probably gone back to their natural habitat.

Its just not as busy at the min as it normally is, i didn`t think their would be much natural food round at this time of year especially for the fruit and seed eaters.

[Picidae]

Hi Steve

Several reasons why you are possibly 'down' at the feeders now (and probably also applies elsewhere to a certain extent)

Mortality due to the cold weather would be the first reason (but not necessarily the major one). Until the late winter Tetrads and BBSurveys are carried out in early summer, it will be impossible to know just what an impact the ice/snow has been. The impact in rural areas is likely to be higher for several reasons and we know winter thrush species have taken a big hit as have probably some of the shallow water waders such as Egrets, Bitterns, Water Rails etc

Many winter thrushes will be dispersing back to more rural areas anyway or even back to the continent in dribs and drabs - there is still actually food around/some berries/snails etc.

The cold snap brought out a massive increase in the numbers of members of the public joining in the big garden bird feed, prompted by the RSPB's media campaign - my local petshop testified to this last week, saying there'd been an incredible influx of new customers and their normal customers buying extra feed during those few weeks. In other words, lots more gardens to chose from for the birds!

This is also the time birds are now trying to attract mates and in doing so, establishing their own territories - hence all the singing in the past week! Blackbirds, Robins, Thrushes will be amongst the species you will see in fewer numbers in each (particularly urban) territory now as they fight and compete for breeding space.

[SheffieldLass]

To the front of my house is extensive woodland, to the rear extensive farmland ... I've got even more birds in my garden than when it was snowy, though there are still a few patches of snow around .... not sure what that says, though maybe a few have come here from the towns and villages, for the woodland and fields, but decide they rather like the food supplies in my garden and 4 adjoining neighbours gardens, but they also seem to be enjoying turning the leaves and foraging in the undergrowth now they are no longer under snow. They seem to like the hamlet life Siskins are now turning up too. Not large numbers yet, though.