Garden has become a desert !

[Stevejl]

Hi I'm a newcomer so go easy on me !

I've noticed a major decline in birds visiting my garden over the last month or so with now only token visits by the odd blue tit, great tit and goldfinch.
I've been feeding birds in my garden for the past 10 years, starting from a base of about 2 magpies and the odd solitary blackbird as was new build house on modern housing estate to an established garden which I've had visited by 30 different species.

My feeders were getting hammered upto a month ago by all the usual suspects (Blue,Great,Coal Tits, Chaffinches, House sparrows, Starlings, Greenfinches and loads of Goldfinches to name a few) but I've not had to top up a feeder in a fortnight (nyger, sunflower hearts, peanuts).
Blackbirds are rarer than hens teeth, last winter I had about 6 regularly which increased to about 20 at the height of the cold spell.

Not sure if anyone else has had similar experience lately - maybe still large amounts of natural food available in local vicinity hence lack of visits to my garden. Maybe a cold spell will bring them back.

Did have a regular visit by sparrowhawk (few times a day) upto a few weeks ago but even he's stopped visiting - he's not daft, there's better food supplies elsewhere !

I live in Warrington, Cheshire so wonder if regional reasons for this or maybe
something else ?

[artdemole]

The seasons will change to cooler or rougher weather then we shall all be glad for them to visit the garden once again.Some days they are there next day nothing.Hope you are enjoying Wab and welcome to the site at the same time..

[Kayleigh]

Hi and welcome to WAB maybe this would better to have been posted in the bird section rather than gardening..but never mind..
As its been so mild maybe they are finding food elsewhere like you said I think as soon as the weather turns cold they will come into gardens.
Have you had lots of birds in this garden where you are now then they just stopped coming or have never had them..
If this is the case then they will come and its just a matter of time I think.
Can you plant something spiky like a Berberis they do grow about 15tft over time but are a lovely shrub and the sparrows live in mine I also have lots of other shrubs and plants that the birds eat so this brings them in..

[Stevejl]

Hi Kayleigh - My garden is well established with lots of trees and shrubs which has been visited by lots of birds for many years now, just a dearth of them at the moment.

At least it's keeping my birdfood bills down but here's hoping for a return of my regular visitors soon !

[Shrike]

I live not far from you in Widnes and the Goldfinches are still costing me a packet but i get little else birdwise ,however a friend of mine on here from Runcorn who lives near woodland has been having exactly the same problem as you the last week or so.

[p-crackers]

I totally agree my garden down here in Sussex is so different from normal.
Just a blue tit coming in grabbing a sunflower seed and he's gone.

I recently posted this.-

I haven't seen a Blackbird for months!!!

And was told about this thread.-

Blackbirds- Numbers in your area.

This afternoon in the mild afternoon sunshine whilst walking down a country lane we stopped and listened....... didn't hear or see any birds at all.
Not even a Robin. It was unusual and sad.

PC

[Jonners]

Hi Steve and welcome to WAB . You are not alone... here's an article published by the RSPB and referred to in a recent news email in response to a similar question to yours.

[tigertom]

Hi and welcome to WAB: I am Not to far from you in runcorn and have notice the same in my garden up till lmid oct was getting large numbers goldfinch with chafffinch greenfinch but now down to some collard doves maggpies odd tit or two and very little of any thing else though still good numbers feeding localy on alder and birch trees.
MIKE