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Cold Weather: Bird Behaviour (1 Viewer)

S

s. james

Stephen
Has anybody noticed any unusual bird behaviours/occurrences related to the recent spell of ice and snow?

Anything really - feeding patterns, unusual species tallies etc.

Haven't been out much but have heard quite a bit of winter singing (def more than usual) during sunny spells: great tit, blue tit, dunnock, mistle thrush all giving full song. Don't have any explanation, although these species do sometimes sing in winter.

People on the winter garden feeding thread mentioned a sparrow bathing in the snow and fieldfare hogging all the food they put out.
 
During the last spell of snow I scraped an area of the patio clear and put a load of food down. It was soon commandeered by a single male Blackbird who fought off anything else that came along - other Blackbirds, Robins, Dunnocks, Song Thrushes, Chaffinches, even a flock of Starlings. It was only when a Wood Pigeon started to tuck in that he decided he'd me his match.

This time I've spread the food out all over the garden. This morning there were 12 Blackbirds all within about 20 sq m with just minor squabbling. It seems that food is more important than territory just now. And it's not just the Blackbirds, the garden is heaving with birds. So far my 'seen from the window' list for 2010 is over 30 species.
 
We have had up to 21 Blackbirds in the garden since the start of the snow up here before Christmas..[ we have only had 2 days since when the ground was clear] they have their spats with each other but I think they are greatful that I have a steady supply of food for them ..putting sunflower hearts, sultanas apples and fat balls on the ground for them. We have had the normal garden birds and our first evers include, Fieldfare,Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Bullfinch, Brambling and the strangest was a Reed Bunting.

I was the one with the sparrow snow bathing [ I just wish I knew how to use Ians camera which was pointing in the garden]. I don't think the Sparrowhawk must like the snow though as he has only been in the garden twice in over 2 weeks.
 
I've just seen a Magpie apparently "flycatching" snowflakes! Either that or the snow had driven it a bit mental.

O
 
I've got a male Blackcap going bananas at anything that comes near my feeders , although he doesn't mind the Blackbird eating the berries I took from my Christmas door wreath . Strangest bird in the garden was a Moorhen , I'm nearly a mile and a half from the main river and our village brook dried up last September .

Ashley
 
Odonate said:
I've just seen a Magpie apparently "flycatching" snowflakes! Either that or the snow had driven it a bit mental.

O
Click to expand...

Psycho Magpie in our garden this afternoon. I'd thrown the crusty ends of a loaf of bread out. Within moments one Magpie swooped in, picked up one of the slices and flew off with it. Three other Magpies were arguing over the remaining slice when a B-H Gull arrived and claimed the bread for itself. Two of the Magpies hopped off to grab some of the other grub.

But the third stayed put. Then, while the gull was chomping on the bread, the Magpie hopped behind it and pulled the gull's tail feathers! Five times this happened, with the gull being dragged back at least 6 inches once. Before I could video it with my phone A Herring Gull arrived and demolished the bread in a few gulps.
 
john1960 said:
I have a had a female house sparrow in the garden colecting nesting material,is this too early?
Click to expand...

Could be John, although House Sparrows have been known to nest in January if the climatic conditions are good,ie a mild winter.In this freezing winter the bird you saw may have been collecting material for a rudimentary roosting nest which birds like sparrows, tits and wrens often build.
 
I've had up to 24 Blackbirds on and around my smallish lawn in North Leeds since the snows came - I've been scattering seed including sunflower hearts, which I usually only put in the feeders, plus sultanas and peanuts. Three days ago a single Fieldfare joined them, and all was pretty friendly until I put out chopped apple yesterday - each bird kept about 2 feet from the next. Now the Fieldfare is trying to chase all the Blackbirds away - running at them on the snow, dive bombing from the shrubs and bird table. Eventually the Blackbirds get hungry enough to ignore the Fieldfare for a while, but then they get cleared off again.
 
Minus 10 here this morning, notice many of the birds especially Blackbirds when feeding they are lowering their body down on to frozen icy ground, smaller birds are also doing same so their legs and feet are covered by feathers.

This must obviously be a heat loss conservation method as they have no insulation on legs or feet.

Stewart
 
s. james said:
Has anybody noticed any unusual bird behaviours/occurrences related to the recent spell of ice and snow?

Anything really - feeding patterns, unusual species tallies etc.
Click to expand...

Trip to the coast last weekend, everything was on the strandline, feeding on something in the seaweed. Usual things were there like Pipits and wagtails, but also Thrushes, Starlings & Partridge!

Also saw a gang of crows hunt down and kill a Mistle Thrush which I had never seen before. I guess this is why we call them a "Murder of Crows"
 
Just been round Crittels Corner Lakes (private fishing and nature reserve) in St Pauls Cray, Orpington, Kent. Very cold here with fresh snow. Not another soul around - no footprints in the snow. A Robin (with a ring on leg) flew straight up to me and sat in a bush beside me. I chanced on an idea - opened up a cereal bar and broke some crumbs on my hand. Within seconds the cheeky blighter was on my hand scoffing the lot - very brave / very hungry / or perhaps used to fishermen. Either way !!WOW!!. I also got a first for me - SNIPE. Also very good watch on a Sparrowhawk.
 
I had a Red-Bellied Woodpecker come by this morning. A bit north of its range, and I've never seen on before. Truly annoyed the resident Downy Woodpeckers!

Also, I have a lot more Cardinals than usual. I've seen four pairs for certain, all at one time feeding. Lucky if I see one or two during the week, but they have been coming every day, numerous times!
Sheila

PS - As an after thought, we have received a lot of snow this year. Very unusual for Cape Cod.
 
Odonate said:
I've just seen a Magpie apparently "flycatching" snowflakes! Either that or the snow had driven it a bit mental.
Click to expand...

Class! Sounds like potential play behaviour to me. Otherwise it could be a bit daft and mistaking the snowflakes for flying insects, but I'd say a magpie would be more intelligent. Might be getting some liquid from the snow as well, but if so why not just eat it off the ground? Bit cold for non-vital behaviours tho, so there could be something else in it.

AlanCh said:
Now the Fieldfare is trying to chase all the Blackbirds away - running at them on the snow, dive bombing from the shrubs and bird table.
Click to expand...

Judging by other accounts this seems to be common behaviour from fieldfares at the minute, although I've only heard of similar from mistle thrush. Same thing is happening in our garden.

Stewart J. said:
Minus 10 here this morning, notice many of the birds especially Blackbirds when feeding they are lowering their body down on to frozen icy ground, smaller birds are also doing same so their legs and feet are covered by feathers.

This must obviously be a heat loss conservation method as they have no insulation on legs or feet.
Click to expand...

Have seen this as well.

walshey said:
Also saw a gang of crows hunt down and kill a Mistle Thrush which I had never seen before. I guess this is why we call them a "Murder of Crows"
Click to expand...

Heard reports of similar behaviour but have never seen anything like it. I'd say there's a good chance this sort of thing increases in cold weather.

Haven't actually got proper birding yet, but did see a redwing by the house today shuffling along and eating relatively large chunks of snow. Probably thirsty due to frozen water sources?
 
There have been almost no seagulls frequenting the shopping center I work at (Vernon Hills, IL USA). Usually they will be hanging out in the parking lot waiting for someone to throw a bit of their lunch out of the car window, but so far this year I've only seen one or two circling the lot. I mean, they'll be standing out there in the middle of February knee-deep in snow just watching traffic and waiting.

I had begun to worry, but from what I understand most of the gulls in the area have moved east of my location to the beaches along Lake Michigan.
 
Certainly have, and from the the comfort of my setee whilst watcing the Cardiff Blues play Edinburgh at Murrayfield in rugby union on S4C (welsh language channel) TV tonight.

Thanks to the undersoil heating it was the only match in the Magners league to be played this weekend. Anyways, the camera gave an excellent close up of a Curlew probing for food along the edge of the touch line. Hope that the Murrayfield soil holds plenty of invertibrates?!

Unfortunately the Blues were well beaten!...:-C

Tony
 
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