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Migration, nesting, where they feed etc. The more experienced Birders with years of watching will probably have seen more change if there is any. Thanks
I'm not all that experienced, but i have noticed that feeders are getting more attention than they used to. I suspect that's because bugs, grubs and insects in general are taking cover from the rain, etc and aren't as easy to find. Feeders are the easy option at that point
I don't know about other birds species, but the Robin's nesting in my garage are on their third batch of nestlings. The rain certainly hasn't bothered them!
Good to hear that Laz, llendorin mentioned birds on the feeder, we've finally got some regular birds now after 2 years of trying. Although that could well be coincidence of course. And the need to never let them empty.
Seems to have made our common garden birds more amorous! At least two broods of Blackbirds in my garden this year with six youngsters on the lawn on Thursday morning - also 4 on the grass beside my office window on Friday. Haven't noted fledglings here before. Loads of young Magpies about and everything feeding on the ground. Presumably there's plenty of juicy worms and the rain has made them much easy to get at.
This time last year we were baking in very high temperatures and didn't miss any of our Thursday evening cricket matches - all played on a very hard outfield. This year we haven't played since mid-May because the pitch is waterlogged.
This is actually a huge subject Michael, and there is a great book on this subject, 'Weather and bird behaviour' (by Norman Elkins, now in it's third edition).
Whilst it won't give you an exhaustive list of specific examples as you're likely to receive here, it will provide you an extensive overview on the subject - and is a thoroughly good read. (Check with Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory just up the road from you - they might well have an earlier edition in their library you could browse).
Cheers Dunnokev, il have a look. I was along the Golf course rd this evening watching the little Owl which is always near the Chequers inn.
Hi panda chris, you might be right, the Blackbirds around here seem to be everywhere, and a lot of juvinile birds too. Maybe this wet stuff produces a lot more bugs. Mick
I don't know about other birds species, but the Robin's nesting in my garage are on their third batch of nestlings. The rain certainly hasn't bothered them!
The house martins usually begin pairing and nest building in the first week of may around here. This year there are a lot of unpaired birds just feeding. Nest building has been sparse and seemed to start in the middle of June.
With a sunny few days everything suddenly exploded into life round here, mainly because the flies came out of hiding. All the hirundines went beserk! Was treated to wonderful views as young swallows were fed on the telephone wire outside the window, just 5ft or so away.
Other birds seemed more active too, as did butterflies. Overcast today though and everything has quietened down again.
Jaff
With a sunny few days everything suddenly exploded into life round here, mainly because the flies came out of hiding. All the hirundines went beserk! Was treated to wonderful views as young swallows were fed on the telephone wire outside the window, just 5ft or so away.
Other birds seemed more active too, as did butterflies. Overcast today though and everything has quietened down again.
Jaff
Hirundines this last week also in abundance round here. I imagine that the wet summer was a disaster for ground-nesting birds, haven´t heard grasshopper warblers on a local site for a few weeks. What about nightjars, anyone in the UK got any info on how they did there?
nightjars have seemed to have done Ok. glamorgan has reported a few that fledged, but a site nearer to me seemed to have been washed out once but they tried again but i am unsure what the outcome was.
The nightjars seem to be doing well here, my brother counted at least 6 birds singing a couple of weeks ago on Canford Heath in Poole. Normally we hear 3 maximum, so perhaps the damp weather's been good for the bugs.