What's happened ?

I live on the North Norfolk coast, up until mid June my garden feeders were visited by small flocks of Goldfinch including several juveniles. Also there were a few Greenfinch, Blue, Great and Coal Tits etc and up to 7 Blackbirds at a time. Since then virtually nothing. Blackbirds and their young usuall attack my blackberry and rapberry bushes but not this year. I have hardly seen a Blackbird for months and not a single juvenile.; they usuall feed on my Pyracantha and strip my Rowan tree of berries this time of year - this year they are untouched. The Goldfinches have all but disappeared and sightings of any Tits are now rare.

Is this the effects of avian flu already?

  • Its difficult to say, are you 100% positive there is no bird activity, or is they're not around when you are. It might be the birds are still recovering from the summer, along with the tiring of the breeding season, and whilst in a post-breeding moult, they may be keeping a low profile.

    East Anglia has recently had restrictions imposed. See the link below.

    Bird flu restrictions imposed across eastern England

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-63048231

  • My wife and I spend some time looking into the garden so I'm pretty sure that there is very little activity. Besides I used to fill the feeders about every 8 - 10 days, Now I've only filled them once since June. The dearth of Blackbirds seems to reach further than my garden as I have seen very few in the locality.
    Is it still safe to feed birds or could it help the disease to spread if an infected bird uses the feeders?
  • Hoppy said:
    My wife and I spend some time looking into the garden so I'm pretty sure that there is very little activity. Besides I used to fill the feeders about every 8 - 10 days, Now I've only filled them once since June. The dearth of Blackbirds seems to reach further than my garden as I have seen very few in the locality.


    Is it still safe to feed birds or could it help the disease to spread if an infected bird uses the feeders?

    First, my apologies for the delayed reply, I've been a bit busy with hospital visits since returning from holiday.

    Though it's autumn, there's still an abundance of alternative food sources, available for many birds, and while I'm not saying there isn't an issue, there are many other reasons why there is a lack of bird activity in the garden. Add to that, with the breeding season effectively over for 2022, many birds will be recuperating.

  • We too have had no blackbird sightings since spring 2022. They just disappeared. For years we have had 5 or 6 birds regularly visiting the garden all year round, here in Cambridge, feeding on, amongst other things, apples that I leave on the lawn. Last week we were surprised to see one male bird in the garden. We wondered whether it could be the Usutu virus, that apparently affects blackbirds quite badly?
  • Just the opposite in our area,we have an increase in numbers. Thrse semed to arrive with the influx of wintering Thrushes which arrive every yesr around this time

    Pete

    Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can