Weather taking it's toll.

[Susie]

The birds are still flocking to my feeders and there are certainly no shortage of titmice. I haven't seen a goldcrest for a while so I hope their tiny bodies haven't succumbed to the cold but they aren't regulars here so they may have just moved on.

I am still hoping to see frogspawn at the end of this month but it may be a bit late as all the flowers seem to be behind too because of the cold spell.

[Green Man]

Best to hang feeders away from hedges - gives the feeding birds all round vision and therefore less likely to succumb to predators such as cats and sparrowhawks. That said, sparrowhawks need food too so I suppose its survival of the fittest, a general rationale in natural history.

[deer boy]

Mate found a dead Robin today, looked nothing wrong with it.

On the subject of gritting roads you would have thought they would have put something in the tarmac by now so when it snows it doesn't settle on the roads.
Think of all the money they would save on grit & drivers

[NickCantle]

NOT trying to get a load of haters to start slating me here...but;

A proper winter like this was always going to kill off the weaker bird in the flock. I am (obviously) a lover of wildlife, but the weather used to be like this every winter a few decades ago, if not much colder. I am all for putting out more seed so that the little ones can eat and my feeders are always full, and I know it is sad that some of the weaker things perish, but it's natural selection.

The birds that die provide other animals with more food, habitat for flies to breed in- it's all selective

Nature knows best.

[Susie]

I am hoping for a great butterfly year this coming year. A cold winter is supposed to be good for them.

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

A proper winter like this was always going to kill off the weaker bird in the flock. I am (obviously) a lover of wildlife, but the weather used to be like this every winter a few decades ago, if not much colder. I am all for putting out more seed so that the little ones can eat and my feeders are always full, and I know it is sad that some of the weaker things perish, but it's natural selection.

The birds that die provide other animals with more food, habitat for flies to breed in- it's all selective

Nature knows best.

I agree.