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Was this year a good year? (1 Viewer)

ChrisKten

ChrisKten

It's true, I quite like Pigeons
I thought it would be interesting to know how the Birds in your garden have done this year. There's been some mention in other threads of large numbers of young, but I thought it would be better to put it one thread. (of course, if nobody replies this will be a very short thread |=)|)

I've noticed that 2 species have done particularly well in my garden:

House Sparrows have had 2 or 3 broods this year, there are over 30 juveniles (some still being fed by parents). 30 is only a conservative estimate, there are some in my trees and some in bushes that I can't see well enough to count.

Starlings have had 2 broods, there are well over 30 juveniles in my garden. Some are there all day and joined by others throughout the day. Again, it's not easy to count them as there are many I can hear higher up the trees.

House Sparrows and Starlings are both Red-list species, so this year is encouraging, in my garden at least.

All of the other Birds have bred successfully, Crows, Jays, Magpies, Wood Pigeons, Pigeons (yeah, I know), Collard Doves, Robins, Blue Tits, Great Tits, and Blackbirds. I've not seen as many juvenile Tits as last year, bit I'm hoping this is due to the large number of Starlings and Sparrows constantly in my garden.

So, how did the Birds do in your garden this year? (or in your area if you don't have a garden)
 
Hi all,need some advice. Squirrels wrecked my plastic Gardman feeders recently.Due to lack of funds i have been a couple of weeks not putting out grub.I have now replaced with an all metal niger feeder and a Gardman metal feeder in a cage. Does it take a little while for birds to get used to the cage? As i have not seen much in the last day or two. Usual suspects this time of year are -good quantities of Greenfinch,House Sparrow Gold finch,Robin. Plus Starling,Blackbird, G Tit and Blue Tit on the fat.
 
Sorry Chris i put this q in the wrong thread.While i am here i might as well answer you.Two brrods of Starling ,one of House Sparrow. One of Robin and Blackbird.Greenfinch and Goldfinch one also. Blue Tit in the nest box but left two dead young out of i think 8 eggs. Long Tail Tit started to build but did not complete.
 
Treesprog said:
Sorry Chris i put this q in the wrong thread.While i am here i might as well answer you.Two brrods of Starling ,one of House Sparrow. One of Robin and Blackbird.Greenfinch and Goldfinch one also. Blue Tit in the nest box but left two dead young out of i think 8 eggs. Long Tail Tit started to build but did not complete.
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That's OK, at least it was a reply.|=)|

As to your question: I've no experience of those feeders, but it can take birds a while to get used to anything new/different. I once changed to a feeder that had some red, instead of green, on the bottom; it took the birds about a day to even go near it.
 
Well, it's not been a very productive year, I don't think. Very few sparrows/starlings just here, but other parts of town have more as their roof tiles are more suited to them! Only a few young finches seen through the early summer, and now a couple of sick greenfinches mean seed feeders have been taken down for the time being. Mind you, there's plenty of wild seed about for them. The only species to do really well are the blue, great and l-t- tits, and robins. Thankfully there is a good supply of berries for this winter.
 
seen plenty of young here steady stream of house sparrows ,goldfinches and greenfinch young in the garden and regular visits from blue and great tits
 
Well so far it seems that it's not the same everywhere. I suppose it's no surprise, although I was rather hoping it was a good year generally.

It would be interesting to hear from other people as well, in different areas, just to try and get an idea of how successful this year was generally.

Thanks to all that have replied.
 
Since it's the first year I've been watching I don't know how it compares but it seemed an amazingly productive year here at Chez Fozzy. So many young Sparrows and Starlings, plus visits by young Blue Tits, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Magpies, Woodpigeons, Collared Doves, Dunnocks and Greenfinches. Quite a number of second broods as well, although I've no idea how many broods the House Sparrows have managed, there have been a seemingly constant stream of new young appearing!
 
Would I be right in thinking the south-east/east of the country has been fairly dry this summer? In the midlands we have had a lot of rain, much of it really torrential. Maybe there's been enough regional difference to affect breeding success?
 
No, it's been very wet in the south east too. Not as wet as the west and north but decidedly soggy. That said there has been a mix of very wet and very sunny weather throughout.
 
Well, Oooop North, the Blackbirds have had 4 broods compered to 3 last year. Starlings same as last year 3 broods, but i think the nest mortality has been well up on last year, hence the best garden count in 2 years ie: 42 juv's feeding at one time! The adults took one look, and flew off LOL.
But the best of all has to be the lovely Housesparrow, 4 broods, their best for a good few years, so long since i have seen so many juv's being fed or feeding themselves, and still are.
Alas, Blue tits not done well at all 3 nests, all young dead!! my own opinion is they were immature birds, and struggled to cope and feed the young, its sad, but thats nature, i just hope they succeed next year.
All in all, a good season.
 
pauco said:
Well, Oooop North, the Blackbirds have had 4 broods compered to 3 last year. Starlings same as last year 3 broods, but i think the nest mortality has been well up on last year, hence the best garden count in 2 years ie: 42 juv's feeding at one time! The adults took one look, and flew off LOL.
But the best of all has to be the lovely Housesparrow, 4 broods, their best for a good few years, so long since i have seen so many juv's being fed or feeding themselves, and still are.
Alas, Blue tits not done well at all 3 nests, all young dead!! my own opinion is they were immature birds, and struggled to cope and feed the young, its sad, but thats nature, i just hope they succeed next year.
All in all, a good season.
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Well that's good news, Paul, I'm glad it wasn't just my area that the Sparrows and Starlings did well this year. A bit worrying about the Tits though, as I've not seen as many juveniles this year either. I'm hoping for someone to post a "Blue and Great Tits had a brilliant year in my area".

BTW, funny about the adult Starlings being scared off by the juveniles, that's exactly what happens in my garden too.|=)|
 
Fozzybear said:
No, it's been very wet in the south east too. Not as wet as the west and north but decidedly soggy. That said there has been a mix of very wet and very sunny weather throughout.
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Yeah I agree, Fozzy, its been fairly wet at times in London too. Plenty of greenery around, grass growing well, plenty of fruit on the Blackberry bushes. I'm not sure about the insects though, I have a feeling I've noticed less this year.
 
ChrisKten said:
Yeah I agree, Fozzy, its been fairly wet at times in London too. Plenty of greenery around, grass growing well, plenty of fruit on the Blackberry bushes. I'm not sure about the insects though, I have a feeling I've noticed less this year.
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I too did wonder, if the lack of caterpillars this year helped with the deaths of the Bluetit young? Just when needed, they failed to appear, so the adults, immatures or not, stood no chance of rearing them. :-C
 
pauco said:
I too did wonder, if the lack of caterpillars this year helped with the deaths of the Bluetit young? Just when needed, they failed to appear, so the adults, immatures or not, stood no chance of rearing them. :-C
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Well IMHO it would certainly make sense, Nature is all about timing. If a Species is a little out of sync with Nature or they breed in anticipation of a food source that doesn't appear, I would imagine it would be catastrophic for them.
 
Actually it has seemed to be a bumper year for insects... or so I'm told. As with birds this year is the first I've really been looking so can't comment with any authority but I've certainly seen huge numbers of insects this year so am not sure that in the south east at least that there's a scarcity. The birds in my garden certainly were not short of insects to collect!
 
Fozzybear said:
Actually it has seemed to be a bumper year for insects... or so I'm told. As with birds this year is the first I've really been looking so can't comment with any authority but I've certainly seen huge numbers of insects this year so am not sure that in the south east at least that there's a scarcity. The birds in my garden certainly were not short of insects to collect!
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Its just IF those insects are not there when the youngsters need them in their first few weeks, thats the vital time between life or death. It only needs a few weeks delay of hatching, or insects being early, or late, nests are then lost.
 
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