Bird Table News

Diane has got in touch from New Zealand because of my DUNNOCK FACT SHEET article

http://birdtablenews.com/2010/04/dunnock-fact-sheet/

From Dianne

Hi from NZ.

This bird I have yet to find in my garden but all the others on the list I have seen in the garden survey. Does it prefer rural to urban sites I wonder?

Thanks for you photos and especially saying its beak is not as thick.

Sincerely Dianne

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Hello Dianne.

It’s great that you have got in touch from New Zealand. It likes hedges and undergrowth and I’m glad you like the photos. You must have a lot of birds in your garden.

We’re at the other side of the world to each other but we’re both interested in birds. It must be worldwide thing

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Observation noting that sparrowhawks are now nesting much closer  to other Sparrowhawk nests.  This points to sparrowhawk overcrowding.

Here is the information I’ve received

Hi, Ive  noticed  that  sparrow hawks now occupy much more  closer bouderies now.    Nest  in close proximity to another nest, may  be  only half  a mile  in some  locations.

 

This is  a  clear  example of  over  crowding in hot  spots.

 

Our regular  passive birds will always suffer through raptor  over kill. I  think that its time for  some new ledgistlation . Thanks.

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I’ve recently been watching a large group of about 5 or 6 magpies, 3 being the young and very inquisitive.  They have become  the dominant members of our local back gardens.

3 or so months back I used to be waken by early birds, now it’s pretty much silent since these young magpies have been growing and foraging the area. 

They are an absolute pest. They leave no stone unturned, are contantly pecking at the tarpaulin on our roof which has caused damp on our ceiling.

The poor blackbirds are absolutely helpless.

This morning I watched the pack of magpies working their way down the gardens, pecking at bikes, aerials, window frames and even amusingly attempting to disturb a grey squirrel (sadly another pest that has taken over) but with no luck.

I thoroughly agree that these birds must be culled and the animal rights activist need to stop being so uptight.

It will be an awful world without songbirds. Magpies are far from beautiful sounding.

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Andrew please get in touch with a website called Songbird Survival.  They are doing research into this and trying to save our songbird population 

Andrew got in touch  because he had seen this article on  Bird Table News

http://birdtablenews.com/2012/02/magpies-raiding-every-nest-in-the-garden-and-killing-every-chick/

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There is a junco feeding a a young cowbird in my garden.

The cowbird is twice the size of the junco and she works non stop feeding him. Amazing!

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I have found this video of a Junco feeding a cowbird.  It’s similar to English cuckoos.  Take a look

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyEvb0WbXjs

Really interesting.  Thanks for getting in touch

Nicola got in touch  because she had seen this story of Blackbirds feeding and caring for robins in their nest

http://birdtablenews.com/2010/05/wild-birds-feeding-other-birds-nestlings/

But the difference is that the cowbird has purposely laid its egg in a Junco’s nest.

The blackbirds must have just seen these robins in a nest and started to feed them.

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We have a laurel hedge that a lot of birds use for nesting and for roosting on a night in winter. 

We are having a problem with this hedge and have asked advice from RV Rogers, Nurserymen,  at Pickering, North Yorkshire.  They have given us very good advice. http://www.rvroger.co.uk/?linksource=frontpage

Here are some photos of our problem.  Has anyone else got the same problem or have more advice on how to get our healthy hedge back

There is also a photo of a plum tree that has the same disease

Photo Number 2

Problem with our Laurel Hedge

Plum Tree with the same disease

Plum Tree Needing Help

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We have a Dunnock nesting in our Wysteria tree against the wall they perch on my folded clothes line and take it in turns to feed the young

I enjoy sitting in the lounge watching them busy feeding there appears to be three birds feeding. 29-06-12 .

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Hi,
My wife and I have been watching a Blackbird nest for the past month or so, the female laid two eggs in the nest which is in a Wisteria growing up our garden shed, the nest is only about four feet off the ground.

The eggs hatched after 10 days or so, and we have had a great deal of pleasure watching the parent birds going in and out feeding their young. Just yesterday, we discovered that one off the babies had left the nest and was found under one of our hedges close to the fence panels. It was being visited by the parent birds regularly.

Now, all of a sudden we are being pestered by a Sparrowhawk who is obviously after a quick meal. Both, myself and my wife have spent the whole day standing guard and trying to scare the hawk away when ever it appears.

I love birds of prey normally, and feel very privileged to have one visit our garden, but we have formed a special relationship with our family of Blackbirds and would hate to see anything happen to them. Isn’t nature cruel sometimes?

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Hi Chris

Nature is cruel sometimes.   We forget don’t we, how uncivilised nature is and always has been

BUT  – the sparrowhawk population is causing a lot of damage to garden birds

Take a look at the Songbird Survival website  http://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/

they are trying to save songbirds with science

thanks for getting in touch.  You aren’t alone with sparrowhawks taking songbirds, and you aren’t alone in spending time in the garden trying to protect the garden birds.

I get quite a few readers who spend time in the garden trying to keep birds of prey away.  They go to a lot of lenghts to try and protect the garden birds as well.  Maybe we should start a club.

Trisha

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I received this from a reader today

I am totally dismayed and horrifield by what has happened and continues to happen in my surrounding area.

5 years ago I used to sit in my sunlounge watching and listening to the beautiful small birds in my garden and round about. Unfortunately a pair of Magpies moved into a large tree a couple of doors away.

To begin with the other birds outnumbered them and managed although attacked to raise some youngsters.

The situation today is unbearable and I feel so helpless, we are inundated with Magpies and they have just about distroyed the small bird population.

I no longer sit and watch my beloved birds as basically there aren’t any left, just the odd survivor and empty egg shells littered about. I see myself as an animal lover but I must admit I detest Magpies and what they are doing to our songbirds.

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