Small bird breeding season.

[sg31]

I've been amazed at how much the population of some small bird species have increased this breeding season.

Gold finches, we normally see one or two pairs in the area around our garden. Now there is a flock buzzing around of at least 40 birds. Obviously not all from the 2 pairs but in years past even after the breeding season we have never seen more than 10.

Wagtails, usually we have 3 or 4 around at most , now we have 14 patrolling the lawn.

Sparrows, normally in plentiful supply, but now there are seperate flocks everywhere. Too many to count.

Starlings, we normally have a few, I've just counted 40 ish (they wouldn't sit still) on the electricity cables.

Blue tits, great tits, coal tits , seem to be the same numbers as any other year.

This is the Worcester, Shropshire border area. How are things in your area?

[Dod101]

I've been amazed at how much the population of some small bird species have increased this breeding season.

Gold finches, we normally see one or two pairs in the area around our garden. Now there is a flock buzzing around of at least 40 birds. Obviously not all from the 2 pairs but in years past even after the breeding season we have never seen more than 10.

Wagtails, usually we have 3 or 4 around at most , now we have 14 patrolling the lawn.

Sparrows, normally in plentiful supply, but now there are seperate flocks everywhere. Too many to count.

Starlings, we normally have a few, I've just counted 40 ish (they wouldn't sit still) on the electricity cables.

Blue tits, great tits, coal tits , seem to be the same numbers as any other year.

This is the Worcester, Shropshire border area. How are things in your area?

The only notable change to me is a large increase in the number of wagtails. I have not otherwise noted much difference. West Perthshire.

Dod

[tjh290633]

We have the usual increase in the tit family, plus more than usual greenfinches, who are causing me to refill my sunflower seed feeders twice a day at times.

Mid Sussex.

TJH

[oldapple]

I've mentioned before about a small brood of just three baby swallows a month or so ago, residing up through a hatch in our garage roof. They've moved out now but a second brood of five now peak down at me when I load up the washing machine. I just think of how very young these tiny birds are when they have to fly so far away around the end of September.

[oldapple]

I've mentioned before about a small brood of just three baby swallows a month or so ago, residing up through a hatch in our garage roof. They've moved out now but a second brood of five now peak down at me when I load up the washing machine. I just think of how very young these tiny birds are when they have to fly so far away around the end of September.

N Ireland

[Slarti]

Here in Essex we still seem to be in the breeding season as there are Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Sparrows and Starlings (at least) who are still bringing fledged youngsters to our feeding area to be fed.

Not that big an overall increase in numbers in our garden, in fact there seem to be fewer Starlings than usual with most of the others similar numbers to previous years.

Slarti

[dionaeamuscipula]

We have had a flock of about 20 sparrows hanging around. It is sending the dog nuts.

First time I have ever seen this in the 10 years we've been here in S Wales.

DM

[PinkDalek]

Here in Essex we still seem to be in the breeding season ...

Essex you say, wasn't it always thus?

[kiloran]

The sparrow population seems to have drifted on in the last week or two and numbers are down. Why would that be then? Perhaps they've raised their young now and don't need to eat as much?

We usually have a flock of 10-15 sparrows on our feeder or on/in a shrub. Occasionally they disappear for a day or two (see below), but then they come back. A week or so ago, we had what can only be called an infestation of sparrows..... there were at least 20 on a single seed feeder (it was a real rammy), about 10 on a nut feeder, 10 on the ground, another 10 having a bath and more in/on the shrub. It was the same the following day, but now we are back to 10-15.

They disappeared totally a few days ago.... there was a sparrowhawk on the shrub. Most of them were back a day or two later.

Happy, sociable wee birds.

--kiloran

[scotia]

We have the usual increase in the tit family, plus more than usual greenfinches, who are causing me to refill my sunflower seed feeders twice a day at times.
Mid Sussex.
TJH

Our tits, sparrows and finches can empty the sunflower seed feeder within a day - but they have to wait for a refill on the next day. Similarly for suet balls - where the starlings are the most aggressive. However the peanut feeder gets a lot less attention - I don't refill it more than weekly.
The Rowan tree has been our most successful feeder - for starlings, blackbirds, thrushes and collared doves. They worked down from the top, and there are only a few bunches left on the outer edges of the lower branches. And of course there are the pigeons - on the lookout for any food which I distribute.
The mix of birds has altered during the season - goldfinches were common earlier in the season, but seem to have moved elsewhere. The number of sparrows and tits seems to have increased, but the blackbird numbers are down - although I put out raisins on fence tops specifically for them. Two cats which are bird-stalkers have arrived in the neighbourhood - and I wonder if that has affected the breeding of the blackbirds.
(Central Scotland)

[kiloran]

Our tits, sparrows and finches can empty the sunflower seed feeder within a day - but they have to wait for a refill on the next day. Similarly for suet balls - where the starlings are the most aggressive. However the peanut feeder gets a lot less attention - I don't refill it more than weekly.

Our peanut feeder is a big mesh one, contained within a cage to make it squirrel-proof. We've had relatively few blue tits and great tits this year, perhaps because the jackdaws dominate the feeder. I'm sure they're not designed to hang on like they do, but they are a constant feature throughout the day and empty the feeder within a couple of days. I don't mind that, they're nice birds, but as they peck they dislodge small bits of peanut, so we have 8-10 pigeons dashing around on the ground to pick up the bits. Horrible birds, and stupid with it..... if I lob a stone in their direction to scare them off, they generally just look around and seem a bit confused, unless I score a direct hit. And when they fly off, as often as not, one idiot pigeon always flies into our living room window, which startles us to put it mildly.

Wish I could find a way to deter the pigeons. My catapult isn't very successful. A shotgun is highly tempting. Or a cruise missile.

--kiloran

[Slarti]

Wish I could find a way to deter the pigeons. My catapult isn't very successful. A shotgun is highly tempting. Or a cruise missile

Supersoaker and persistence.

Slarti

[monabri]

We have seen a noticeable increase in birds this year. We've had the early morning Jackdaws (noisy ) ravaging the fat ball feeders but they were very timid. Collard Doves ( one of which likes to sit on a flat bird feeder platform and survey the scene) , blue tits, a Robin, a couple of Goldfinches, Dunnock and a Blackbird families - the latter 2 families mingle with our 3 chickens and seem to mimic the chickens scrutting the soil in the garden. Over the weeks, the Blackbirds seem to be allowing the chickens to get ever closer as they both explore for tidbits and the odd juicy worm. The birds fly in and out of the garden at breakneck speed. I just hope that there isn't another Avian flu epidemic this year

We live in Worcestershire.

[sg31]

We have seen a noticeable increase in birds this year. We've had the early morning Jackdaws (noisy ) ravaging the fat ball feeders but they were very timid. Collard Doves ( one of which likes to sit on a flat bird feeder platform and survey the scene) , blue tits, a Robin, a couple of Goldfinches, Dunnock and a Blackbird families - the latter 2 families mingle with our 3 chickens and seem to mimic the chickens scrutting the soil in the garden. Over the weeks, the Blackbirds seem to be allowing the chickens to get ever closer as they both explore for tidbits and the odd juicy worm. The birds fly in and out of the garden at breakneck speed. I just hope that there isn't another Avian flu epidemic this year

We live in Worcestershire.

So do I. Maybe this area has been blessed with a good year for breeding birds. The one or 2 pairs of Goldfinches we normally see have now turned into several flocks of 100 or more. The farmer next door hasn't cut his fields for silage this year so there are lots of thistle and grass seeds which the Goldfinches are having a feast on. They are easily spooked and fly up in a cloud to settle in the nearest tree. Once they deem it safe the bravest birds start filtering back onto the seed followed by the rest of the flock over the next minute or so.

Seperate flocks are doing the same all around the fiels. I haven't seen as many Goldfinches in my 64 years as I can see in 1 hour at present. It is a joy, they are delightful little birds.

[flyer61]

Outside my study window I have a bird feeder. This year I have watched a family of Nuthatch's raised. Most birds but no Greenfinches or Bullfinches this year. Cheshire East.

[staffordian]

Perhaps slightly off topic, as they're not exactly small, but yesterday I saw, for the first time, a woodpecker helping itself to nuts from our feeder.

I say the first time; my initial thought was that it was a jay, but as it moved I saw it had distinctive red feathers. On a previous occasion I saw a similar looking bird there and assumed it was a jay, but think now it was probably a woodpecker*.

This is a back garden in a suburb in North Staffordshire.

To bring it back on topic, we have very few small birds. I put out feeders of nuts, fat balls, sunflower seed and mixed seed, as well as a couple of flat dishes of seed on the bird table and on the ground. We mainly get wood pigeons, a couple of town (feral?) pigeons an occasional robin, a few tits and some sparrows. Very little of interest.

*You can probably tell I'm not an expert when it comes to ornithology

[Slarti]

We have have a small small flock of Goldfinches on the feeders, today, with at least least 3 juveniles demanding feeding. Which is is somewhat late in the year.

Slarti

[scotia]

I have been pleased by the resurgence of sparrows - they are bright, busy little birds. I took the following picture of one at the House of Bruar (on the A9 north of Pitlochry). It had clearly found desirable lodgings.

[Golam]

Try yellowhammer

[scotia]

So, one of my Yellowhammers? I'm sure there is another, more brightly coloured one going around (male/female pair?)

Yes - it looks like a female yellowhammer. One other possibility is a male siskin - but the female siskin is much less coloured. So if there is another more brightly coloured one, then I think the other one is a male yellowhammer - and you have a yellowhammer pair. Or in (older) Scottish terminology - a pair of yellow yites.