this should be of intrest springwatch tomorrow CORVIDS.

[rossy]

after some of the debates on here lately, about corvids and the decline of songbirds, springwatch are doing a piece on the show, be intresting to see what they come up with. rossy.

[~T~]

Yep I thought the same when I was watching it tonight. Will be interesting to see just what they come up with especially since they took the "it's natures way" stance with the jay attacking the wrens nest (great footage too). I thought the bit about the dump gulls was fascinating as well (not to mention the presenter was pretty easy on the eye ).

[GME]

Originally Posted by ~T~

(not to mention the presenter was pretty easy on the eye ).

Seconded lol!

But yes, I will be watching the show later and it'll be interesting to see any conclusions that may be drawn

[Pipa]

Yes i'd be interested to see this, there was no up-roar about the Jay attacking the wrens and pulling the nest to bits, or the grass snake that almost got the warbler nest/chicks

and then they said even blackbirds themselves will raid chicks from other nests if food is scarce... and they also said that blackbird that visited the warbler chicks (think it was the warbler chicks) chris said that blackbird probably would have took a chick only it realised they were too big at that stage

[IanR]

Hi there.
It's a tough one to be sure and I'm kind of on the it's only natures way side.

Having said that, we have our local pair if resident crows and magpies. There so observant nothing seem to go unnoticed by them. Last year I watched a collard dove build it's nest half way down a branch just meters away from my bedroom window and I wasn't the only one watching.
So no surprise when you find the remains of the eggs on the floor shortly after there laid.

It's the same with the local blackbirds. Last year I knew of three nest around my garden and the neighbours, "same bird I think" and at the end of the season I only saw one fledgling.

This year same thing. Yesterday she "blackbird" was sitting tight on her nest right outside my patio doors in an old rain water hopper ,well covered from above tucked under a wisteria. Noticed this morning she was off the nest so popped my hand in and no eggs, there were four.

No idea who had them away but guess it would be the crow or magpie.
So here I am sat here typing with the door open and sun burning my neck the male blackbird singing his head off a few meters away. Maybe time for one more try
After all that and what you don't see I still wouldn't vote for a cull.

[astarsdad]

Hi,

Springwatch is one of my highlights of the day. It was also interesting to note how the wet weather can affect feeding. The pied flycatcher seems to be particularly susceptible to continued wet weather and demonstrates how fragile breeding can be; depending on such a pane of opportunity that the weather is fine at the time of hatching. The jay/wrens nest was interesting and leads me to my walk along a disused railway cutting, yesterday. Along a 3 mile stretch I must have encountered between 100 and 200 wrens, circa 100 robins, 100s of tits. Mostly juveniles. Obviously a good habitat for them!

Terry

[~T~]

Originally Posted by IanR

Having said that, we have our local pair if resident crows and magpies. There so observant nothing seem to go unnoticed by them. Last year I watched a collard dove build it's nest half way down a branch just meters away from my bedroom window and I wasn't the only one watching.
So no surprise when you find the remains of the eggs on the floor shortly after there laid.

Almost like a human waiting patiently for hens to lay before taking their eggs

[rossy]

hope the shooting fraternity listened to experts, on the decline of songbirds, mainly due to the loss of habitat, and MAGPIES, OR CORVIDS HAVE NO IMPACT, and thats what has been said on here for a while now, but will they take any notice, i dont think so, rossy.

[Muggsy]

no offence, but what makes you use the word "expert", is it because they are on television ? or because they are saying what you want to hear ?

[Foz]

Rossy,
in most cases they do not make a big difference, but after the last very hard winter when adult resident bird numbers dropped dramatically we will have to wait and see.
I know for a fact that the fledgling numbers are down in my garden this year by around 45%, the only species doing well are house sparrows, up 50% to 38 fledglings.
The sprawks are due to fledge at the end of the week so we will see what happens then........