Birds and Cold weather

[barquar]

Since all the snow we have had I have not seen any bluetits or a coaltit on my feeders. I used to see at least 3 bluetits and one coaltit,they were both coming to the feeder during the first lot of snow but since the second down fall not seen them at all.My robin has just landed on the bird table so he is still going. anyone else seen a drop in numbers of the smaller birds.
Barquar

[Dogghound]

Its hard to say, some species of passerine are in lower numbers along the coast here but seem to be in higher numbers inland and visa versa, there has been a lot of movement since the snow. I was relieved to count 8 barn owls on saturday which means these dont seem to have been affected by the weather here. A lot of the ducks and waders went coastal in the snow as everything froze, some of these seem to be making their way back inland.

[Littlesparrow]

In Cheshire, which is not that far away from you, I'm seeing the same number of Bluetits, but not the Coaltits and the regular house Sparrows, Robins and Blackbirds are making an appearance.
I can't say I've seen any birds killed by the cold or snow here, could you have a Sparrowhawk in the area? keeping the small birds away. I've also noticed our Robin is getting more bossy with the bluetits around the feeder.

[barquar]

We do have a sparrow hawk visit the garden but not seen him since the snowfalls we have had,
barquar

[marian's birds]

Originally Posted by barquar

Since all the snow we have had I have not seen any bluetits or a coaltit on my feeders. I used to see at least 3 bluetits and one coaltit,they were both coming to the feeder during the first lot of snow but since the second down fall not seen them at all.My robin has just landed on the bird table so he is still going. anyone else seen a drop in numbers of the smaller birds.
Barquar

This time I have not seen any change, but at the beginning of last year during the snow all the small birds seemed to dissappear. For about a month after the snow had melted, I only had blackbirds coming into the garden.

[barquar]

Wow good news I had 2 bluetits come into the garden this mornig. Will never know if its the same two that came in before the second cold spell.But still know Coaltit yet.
Barquar

[Endrick]

I've had a huge increase in the cold weather, at times up to 40 or 50 birds around the feeders, Bramblings, goldfinches all the common tits, greenfinches, robin, siskin, dunnock etc. We counted 18 species in one day in late December.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by barquar

But still know Coaltit yet.

Just a thought, they may have returned to wooded areas to establish a territory hard to say for sure.

[Harold Smith]

This year I have a lot more Blue Tits regularly visiting the feeders compared with last year. Last year I was lucky if I saw one or two in a week. Now, there are least six or so each day and on some days there has been at least a dozen. Virtually everyday there are two Coal Tits. A couple of days ago there were three. At the beginning of the week I also had eight Long Tailed Tits. My other regular visitors, even during the cold spell, are Blackcaps, Wrens, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Redwings, Chaffinchs, Greenfinchs, Goldfinchs, Robins, Collard Doves, Wood Pigeons, Jackdaws, Magpies and Starlings. The other day there were over fifty starlings feeding on the suet sprinkles I had put out.

Harold.

[Harold Smith]

Almost forgot the Sparrows. Most days there are about twenty to thirty in the garden.

Harold.