What time(s) do you see birds in your garden?

I find that most of the activity on my feeders happens between 10.30 and 12 - annoying as during the week I am at work at this time! I do sometimes see the odd blackbird or robin eating from the ground before I leave for work at 7.30/8, but not many and I never see birds on the feeders at this time. I never see birds feeding after work (4pm onwards). Is this normal or does it vary with location/time of year, etc?

  • Hi Somethingofadreamer, at the minute I have feeding flurrys throughout the day, obviously the first thing in the morning feeding frenzy, then it seems throughout the day they go off looking for natural foods, using my place to top up between searching for there natural foods, but what I find strange is all the different spieces I have feeding here all turn up at once throughout the day, I don't have any feeding frenzys after 4pm, just the odd bird, mostly an odd robin until about 5pm.

  • Hi Somethingofadreamer,

    I also have feeding flurrys throughout the day.I have just had one now with about 10 sparrows,1blackbird,2 dunnocks,1 robin all feeding at the same time.I do get the other odd ones turn up inbetween.Maybe as we get the lighter nights they should feed after 4pm. 

  • Hi somethingadreamer,

    I have Greenfinches, chaffinches, tits all day,  black birds are here most of the day as well, as are my waggs and sparrows. every thing else comes in three waves early morning, around mid day and between 3-4. goldfinches come in waves but not at set times.

  • Hi

    I have the feeding frenzy between 7.30 and 9 then again about lunch time . Now its  nearly four, there are three blackies here and two robins.

    My wagtail only appears here when theres snow on the ground.

    I have noticed though a slight increase in the number of birds visiting my garden lately.

  • Anonymous
    0 Anonymous 23/02/2010 22:33 in reply to wagtail

    The birds feed early in the morning here.  I see them if I get up early enough myself! {smile}

    Other times 3-4pm in the afternoon. 

    A lot of the feeding is weather based all of the time.  The snow does bring out a bit of a feeding frenzy in certain points of the afternoon.  As it is snowing the pair of Collared Doves are always in the garden area.

    At the moment there is more activity just before the darkness comes along once more.

    Wagtail:  Yes Wagtails are very fussy when they visit a garden and will only attend if the weather is very cold and snowy.  They let you know if it is cold very quickly

    Regards

    Kathy and Dave

    wagtail said:

    Hi

    I have the feeding frenzy between 7.30 and 9 then again about lunch time . Now its  nearly four, there are three blackies here and two robins.

    My wagtail only appears here when theres snow on the ground.

    I have noticed though a slight increase in the number of birds visiting my garden lately.

     

     

  • Hi Janet hope you don't think it rude but assume someone puts on about DDT and makes me cringe every time I see it as believe it was banned on farms about 40 years ago and probably ironically now only used for Malaria control.Feel sure had anyone known the consequences of its use it would perhaps never have been used but of course sometimes the users are ignorant of the consequences with Thalidomide another example.Suspect at the time also during the war when food desperately short it did dramatically increase production of some foods and probably later better alternatives came along.Once again don't wish to appear rude but whoever puts the bit on about DDT seems way out of date. 

  • Hi, its now 4.55 pm and I have a blue tit a robin and a blackbird in the garden, does anybody else get them calling this late. I daren't sweep up the ground food until it is starting to get properly dark because on the odd occasion I have seen the dunnocks still eating at dusk.

  • Hi Sooty

    May be its because i'm older, but they are song lyrics, you never heard of it?

    have a listen

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgMEPk6fvpg&feature=related

    Joni Mitchel

    They paved paradise
    And put up a parking lot
    With a pink hotel, a boutique
    And a swinging hot spot
    Don't it always seem to go
    That you don't know what you've got
    Till it's gone
    They paved paradise
    And put up a parking lot

    They took all the trees
    Put 'em in a tree museum
    And they charged the people
    A dollar and a half just to see 'em
    Don't it always seem to go
    That you don't know what you've got
    Till it's gone
    They paved paradise
    And put up a parking lot

    Hey farmer farmer
    Put away the D.D.T. now
    Give me spots on my apples
    But leave me the birds and the bees
    Please!
    Don't it always seem to go
    That you don't know what you've got
    Till it's gone
    They paved paradise
    And put up a parking lot

    Late last night
    I heard my screen door slam
    And a big yellow taxi
    Took away my old man
    Don't it always seem to go
    That you don't know what you've got
    Till it's gone
    They paved paradise
    And put up a parking lot

    I said don't it always seem to go
    That you don't know what you've got
    Till it's gone
    They paved paradise
    And put up a parking lot

    They paved paradise
    And put up a parking lot

    They paved paradise
    And put up a parking lot

  • Thanks for all your replies. I guess part of the reason I only get visitors at a certain time of day is that my feeders haven't been out long so I only have a few regulars so far. Also as I am not home in the early afternoon to put a second lot of food out I guess that is discouraging afternoon feeding. Will continue to monitor the situation!

    As for the DDT discussion, I believe that the threats of such pesticides were pointed out but ignored for a while by the government. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring makes an interesting read. Love the Joni Mitchell song, and think it makes a great signature! :)

  • Hi somethingofadreamer,

    Thank's I like to song as well, all it means is no to pesticiders. look after our world!!