I have just completed this years survey. I realise that there are far fewer birds out there this year. We normally see a lot of migrant species but I think the mild winter so far has meant that they haven't visited us this year. We also have a predatory cat in the vicinity who has decimated our resident ground feeding birds. We had a lot of sparrows in the summer that are no longer with us. We haven't seen the bramblings, siskins or starlings that came regulalrly over the last 3 winters.
Hi Hazel, thanks for taking part, it will be interesting to see when all of the results are in and analysed if this is the same across the whole of the UK. I noticed a number of winter thrushes moving around over head but none settled in the garden, no finches at all for me this year.
It's interesting about your sparrows as they are usually sedentary, not moving far at all, maybe they have found a nearby food source or sheltering site that they prefer during winter? Hope they return soon!
Warden Intern at Otmoor.