Late summer lack of garden birds?

Spoke too soon, the starlings are back with a vengance

I haven't seen a robin since about March - then had 2 yesterday!!!!!! All my regulars are drifting back now ... starlings, robins, blackbirds, dunnocks and jackdaws. My sparrows and goldies have never really left.

As we were on holiday and the feeders were bare, I didn't see a bird at all on our return or the next few days after that.  Have now replenished the feeders and was delighted to see about 7 Greenfinches turn up.  Blue Tits are now appearing, obviously my collard doves have returned but not in such large numbers and 2 woodies who seem to be building or repairing a nest in the next door neighbour's Eucalyptus Tree.

Purse is happy as the starlings have yet to make a return (said in a whisper)

My garden is now completely bereft of birds at the moment.I saw a solitary woodpigeon yesterday and nothing else,no blackbirds,no sparrows,no starlings,nothing!

I even put a fat ball feeder back up (usually emptied in a day) and not even a peck on it!

Food scattered on the ground is even being left.

I know the birds will be back eventually but just now I feel so abandoned!!!

Rachel

Just seen a lone blue tit and some apples I put out have been well pecked so must be something out there!

There is nothing in my garden now apart from a lone woodpigeon which I am actually looking forward to seeing!!

I have never known it so quiet before.

Even the apples I put out have not been pecked.

Is anyone elses garden like this at the moment,or is it just mine.

Rachel

Hi Rachel

We do have quite a range of birds here

Two Woodpigeons, Two Collared Doves, 4 Blackbirds, a small group of Sparrows, 2 Dunnocks,  a larger flock of Starlings that I can see at the moment - so not complaining.

I noticed that most birds seen to like to come to the feeders on the wetter days.

The Blackie family - the adults still look a bit on the scruffy side and need to moult properly.  The 2 youngsters need to grow their adult plumage yet

The Starlings devoured the Blueberry Muffins I placed in one of the feeders so the taste for 'deserts' did not go amiss LOL

Hope your birds come back soon whatever the case.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Thanks Ian,

This is the first time I have been on this site and was very concerned about the birds in the garden, I encouraged my daughter to put out fat balls and seed and she could not understand why there were no birds.  I will print off your comments and educate my daughter and 4 teenage grandsons.  Thanks again x

My garden has not been short of birds at all this year, this is very unusual for  July/August. The robins and blackbirds have disappeared but the feeders are full of finches, tits, sparrows (only 4 but I have had none for 8 years!) and siskins. They are mainly juveniles and the adults have gone off to moult etc. The numbers are now starting to increase, it looks like it is going to be a good year for birds .:-))

We have several house martins flying around the house and I THINK some youngsters may be using the old nests for sleeping? They are certainly swooping in and out every morning. I hope this means they will return next year and use the old nests again. We haven't had breeding house martins for 3 or 4 years when previously they bred every year. 

Thanks for all the information in this thread, very interesting.

I wish someone had told the birds in my garden its a quiet time! My brother counted 27 finches and tits on the feeders yesterday. We have a couple of magpies and theres a Jackdaw colony not far away. Oddly enough I have not seen a blackbird in weeks!

Ant