TATTY- good news and not so good news (1 Viewer)

[bill moss]

Hi folks,

The good news is that as of yesterday, when this (first photo) was taken, he's still around and still quite chirpy.

The not so good news is that he appears still to be loosing feathers. If you compare this one with this first one back in early Feb you can see that he then still had some red feathers, now he's down to practically none. With the weather getting warmer I don't suppose loosing a few more chest feathers matter too much but if he starts to shed flight feathers........

Anyway, I shall keep you posted.

Bill

 

[Ruth Daniel]

Oh dear Bill! :h?:
It looks to me as if his Alapaecia is definitely getting worse!!!
I do hope he'll be ok???
Thanks for the update and do keep us informed won't you?
Best wishes,

 

[RKell1]

Interesting you should post this Bill as driving to work this morning, (I'm always on the lookout for signs of Tatty's cousin I posted a pic of recently), when a Jackdaw flew over the hedgerow with a featherless head. One would wonder if the mild winter can be attributed to this in that in a 'normal' winter, mites etc would be killed off in the cold?..
This condition must induce some raised levels of stress in a bird.

 

[Chickadeedeedee]

Oh poor sweet Tatty! It does look like he has lost more feathers and the skin on his neck seems thicker than normal. Maybe that's pin feathers coming in? He looks a bit puffed out to me too.

When would your Robins have their normal moult? Maybe he's moulting now and will have a regrowth of his feathers ... she innocently asks with fingers crossed?

Awwwww. Thanks for the update Bill and please give Tatty a hug from me.

L.

 

[Dizzy]

Oh dear! he certainly looks as if he's lost more feathers. I do hope he'll be okay, we can only keep our fingers crossed and hope that its not going to get worse. Thanks for the update Bill, and do plse keep them coming.



Best wishes

 

[Pam_m]

The poor little soul. I am just glad that he knows where he can find his next meal from in your garden Bill. I do hope he will be ok.


Thanks for the update Bill.

 

[Renee Redstart]

I don't know what to say now. This is worrying.

 

[bill moss]

Hi Ray & Lydia (posting order)

Ray. Interesting about the Jackdaw, you seem to have more feather mites around. As I posted before, feather mites get killed off by consistent cold, so it's not surprising to see this sort of thing after a mild Winter.

Lydia. Adult Robins (which is what I assume Tatty to be) don't moult until after breeding, which means that they start sometime in July/August and complete re-generation September/October; the big problem for Tatty is that the head feathers are usually the last to moult (and therefore regrow) so IF he survives he's very unlikely to get back to full plumage before October, again assuming that he has a 'normal' moult.

Bill.

 

[Sue Wright]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for telling us the latest about him. He does look a sorrowful sight. It really does seem as though it's the feather mite now, especially as Ray's reported another sighting. If winters continue in this way does that mean that in time we'll have near naked Birds all around? I sincerely hope not, but it really makes you think.

A real shame that as we'd all hoped it WOULD be a scrap, at least they can often come back after them, so long as injuries aren't too bad. I do hope this little mite can battle on, but it doesn't look too good at present. It makes you feel how fortunate Lydia's Chicklet was!

Thanks Bill,

Love, Sue.

 

[Kits]

Oh lordy, the poor bedraggled creature.

 

[rozinante]

Thanks for the update Bill.
I know the world is full of many greater woes but I can't but help but feel distressed by Tatty's plight because I now feel like I "know" him. Isn't the human mind a strange place? Well mine is anyway.

The only cause for small consolation I can think of is to remember that even if this were Tatty's first year of maturity he has already out survived 62% of last years fledglings. If this were his second year of maturity, he would already be an old man as the average lifespan of a robin has been estimated at only 13months! (David Lack - The Life Of The Robin)

And at least he knows where to find a meal:-

The redbreast, sacred to the household gods,
Wisely regardful of th' embroiling sky,
In joyless fields and thorny thickets leaves
His shivering mates, and pays to trusted man
His annual visit. Half-afraid, he first
Against the window beats; then, brisk, alights
On the warm hearth; then hopping o'er the floor,
Eyes all the smiling family askance,
And pecks, and starts, and wonders where he is;
Till, more familiar grown, the table-crumbs
Attract his slender feet.

James Thomson (1700-1748) The Seasons: Winter (excerpt)

 

[Chickadeedeedee]

Thanks for the moult information Bill. Dear little Tatty. Wish he knew how many people all around the world are wishing him well!!!!!!!!!!!!!

L.

 

[Linda Beaumont]

Echoing everybody's sentiments... poor little Tatty... It certainly does feel like we all know him, and I'm just willing him to survive the summer and grow a new set of feathers... please, please, please...

 

[Angelface]

Hi Bill,
Thanks for update on Tatty, he is still staying strong despite his appearance thanks to you feeding him and we are all willing him on.

 

[pie]

Hi Bill,
I guess the positive thing is he's still alive, and when you think he's managed to survive winter without his coat, it just goes to show what a trooper this little chap is.
I did search the rspb web site for advise/tips when you first told us about tatty but couldn't find anything on the subject.
As others have said, he's got a good reliable food source with you Bill, so fingers crossed.
Thanks for the update, I'd like to think he's going to make it!!

 

[Mary Evelyn]

It is so upsetting seeing him like this but i am keeping my fingers crossed and hopefully, he will be around for a while yet because of you Bill.

 

[Cosworthlady]

Oh dear. What a sweet little guy. Does he sing normally?