[Ronald Zee]

Last week I noticed almost no activity in the parking lot behind the building I work in when there was a very strong wind the whole day.

Normally the couple of Magpies, Blackbirds and Carrion Crows that have nests there can be seen during most of the day flying about or feeding on the grass, just like a couple of Oystercatchers and Grey Wagtails that nest somewhere nearby.

That windy day however I only saw 1 Magpie during the whole day, was this just a coincidence or did these birds feed somewhere else then?

[Tero]

They probably feed on the ground if possible. Larger birds can starve for a day.

[Katy Penland]

On windy days (25+ mph), our feeders are just as active but the birds flush far more often than normal, as if the noise from the wind, or the shadows of twigs, pinecones, debris, etc., flying through the air, provokes a flight response.

[jurek]

Perching birds don't like wind, normally they hide in bushes or become inactive.

[pauco]

Any wind and the feeding is down to minimum,the little un's just dont like windy days!

[Hanno]

Agree, I always found birding the hardest when it is really windy, whereas (a little) rain doesn't seem to have much effect.

[Ronald Zee]

Maybe another stupid question, but what would happen if the weather was really bad for a couple of days (very strong winds and a lot of rain), would the smaller birds like Blue Tits, Great Tits etc still go out and find food for their young?

[edrick owl]

Hi all

My garden studies lead me to the simple conclusion that if it's windy, the birds stay put in their hedges etc. If it's raining, they are usually out in numbers after the insects etc - especially if it's light rain. Blackbirds, Thrushes etc run havoc on the lawn. I have often seen families of newly fledged Sparrows and Tits chacing the midges and small flies on top of the hedges, working their way along. Also covering as much of the lawns as they can. But if it's very heavy rain, then they seem more scarce than if it's windy.

Prolonged bad weather leads them to stay put for as long as possible, but eventually hunger takes over and out they come, but only for short bursts. Purely cold weather (no rain or snow) simply means that they are out for as long as possible taking in as much food as possible to hopefully see them through the night to the next day, before repeating the cycle.

The only birds that I can regularly see in winds (high or breeze) are the Corvids, occassionally accompanied by Gulls (I know nothing of seabirds).

Regards,