Bird Table News

I’ve been lucky enough to receive the comment below.  It’s great they enjoy watching birds and the natural world. 

One of the things I wondered was why only two swallows nested. Each year more and more swallows return but only two swallows nest.  Can anyone give an answer or help with this puzzle.

I wondered if it was lack of nesting sites.

For the past 4 years we’ve had a pair of swallows make their nest on our front porch.

One year they had 8 young in 2 different hatchings.

Last year they appeared on March 18 I can’t wait to see how close they come to that date this year.

Also I notice that each year we have more and more birds returning I’m assuming its the babies but they all fly about and sit on the lines but only one pair build a nest. Although at night I’ll find 6-10 sleeping around the nest.

One year one baby was not getting fed we fed it wet dog food on a stick with toothpick and it made it to maturity. My little girl thinks their her pets. God has given us so many treasures to enjoy.

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I live in East Yorkshire, which borders with North Yorkshire.

There are forests in North Yorkshire which are home to many birds and animals.

As they have had snow for almost a month Wildlife Officers are worried about how wildlife is surviving in the forests this winter

Birds like the goldcrest and dunnock which are insect eating birds find it hard to find food as their food is frozen under snow and ice.  To add to the worry small birds lose heat quickly and need to keep high levels of energy to see them through the winter nights.

Nocturnal birds have been seen hunting in daylight so they get enough food.  It only needs snow for a short time for birds of prey such as barn owls to find it hard to get enough food. 

Forests such as Dalby, Pickering and Wykeham forests are good for birds usually.  Inside the wood is a little warmer than outside.  The trees usually shelter birds and animals but this cold spell and all the snow has caused problems and lack of food for many birds and animals.  I live on the Yorkshire Wolds which is the opposite of the Forests.  Yorkshire Wolds has wide open spaces without any shelter for miles – yet there is a lot of bird feeding goes on.  The Forests of NorthYorkshire do usually give shelter and protection from the weather – but this cold spell has been really bad for many birds

Wildlife Officers have  a barn owl project in Dalby Forest.  They believe that many barn owls may starve –  but will have to wait to see how many of the barn owls make it through the winter.

Here’s hoping we have seen the last of the really bad weather.

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In winter bird’s natural supplies such as insects and seeds run out and many garden birds, especially the small birds do not survive the freezing winter.

This freezing winter weather can be a killer for garden birds

Putting food out for garden birds is a way to stop garden birds from dying.

Putting food out for garden birds will really help them survive and is a positive thing to do.

I know this weather makes it hard for us as well.  I myself hit a pothole and punctured two tyres one freezing evening.  At the moment  the snow is closing in near us, but if we can turn our thoughts to bird feeding we can all help our garden birds pull through the winter. 

There are many things outside our control that cause the decline of the bird population.  Feeding birds is something that is within our control.

There are may types of bird food on the market and if you would like any advice please let me know.

Putting out kitchen scraps and recycling old food is a good way to feed birds

Fruits such as apples, pears soaked dried fruit can be fed to birds.

Nuts are rich in fat.  Hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts can be fed to birds.  The most common nut we feed to birds is the peanut (unsalted peanuts)

Other kitchen scraps that can be used are cooked potatoes, rice, cake, cut up or grated cheese, ham fat.

Lard is good for birds in winter.  I often melt some lard.  When it is melted I pour it over bird food and mix it together.  This does not make a fatball – it just gives birds fat coated bird food.

Lets all join together and all put bird food out across Britain this winter.  It is really the worst weather in ages.

If you have any tips or would like advice please let  me know.

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I spend money on bird food and I’ve planted some plants and shrubs that attract birds.

I feel it would be a good idea if I spent  some money helping research to save our songbirds.

Songbird Survival have joined with the Centre for Agri-Environmental Research (CAER) at Reading University to carry out a review of predation research.

Click this link to find our more -  http://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/research/

The aim is -
1.  Describe the state of current knowledge on predation
2. Evaluate evidence that links changes in predator populations with changes in the numbers of their avian prey
3. Find key issues that are needed for future research.

This project will provide Songbird Survival with knowledge and is part of a process to find the best way to save our songbirds and manage our wildlife and biodiversity. 

Songbird survival are currently seeking funding – can you help

SONG BIRD SURVIVAL – DONATE TO SONGBIRD SURVIVAL

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I belong to Songbird Survival.  To find our more about them CLICK HERE

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Hello,
To  you all ,  Good to see that people do see the Swallows,

Is it OK if i tell you all ,I have been looking at this Sean , as to see when Swallows ,migrate,

So this is From N,Ireland, Sunday 04 10 2009, time 10 30 AM 

MY PLACE OF WORK

SUNDAY NIGHT 4 October 2009  SWALLOWS STILL AT MY PLACE OF WORK.    THERE WAS NO WIND ON THE SUNDAY NIGHT ,BUT THERE IS AND WAS A GOOD FULL MOON,

MONDAY NIGHT – NOW TO DAY MONDAY 05 10 2009 ,I HAVE BEEN AT MY PLACE OF WORK ALL DAY, AND NOT A SWALLOW IN SIGHT,

MY HOME
THE SWALLOWS WENT AWAY AT MY HOME PLACE ABOUT 3 WEEKS A GO,  IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO GET FROM MY HOME PLACE TO MY WORK PLACE, AND THAT IS AROUND 10 MILES APART,

SO 10 MILES DOWN THE ROAD NO SWALLOWS, BUT GO 10 MILES UP THE ROAD AND,THERE YOU HAD SOME SWALLOWS, AT THE LATE DATE,ON SUNDAY 04 10 2009,

 3 WEEKS BACK FROM  4. 10. 2009  I HAD THE SWALLOWS ,GONE FROM MY HOME PLACE,

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Number of Nests at my home around twenty five. Work place around Five, hope this is of some Good News for you all,  thank you all for now.   Jim

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Thanks for this information.  Isn’t it strange how ten miles can make such a difference in swallows migrating.  There is such a lot we don’t understand about swallows isn’t there?

Has anyone any ideas about why ten miles has made such a difference?

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If you click the link below you will see a heart warming story of how in America at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial at St. Louis, MO it’s been decided to turn the lights off to help night flying migrating birds.

It seems that city lights and any artificial light can upset a migrating bird and send it off course.  How tragic is that?

Some migrating birds  navigate by the stars.  They will be safer now the  artificial lights cannot send them off course.  They will be able to see the stars and  will keep flying on course

http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2009/09/gateway-arch-two-week-blackout-benefits-migrating-birds4592#comment-15916

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So artificial light is another item I can add to the reasons why migratory birds are declining in some places.

It seems though that climate change could cause the biggest problem for migrating birds.

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Here is a way to record our swallow sightings -

 Bird Track page at  http://www.bto.org/birdtrack/

Why not take a look and enter your swallow information there as at the moment I don’t have any means of putting all the information together 

Here is a link to view the results  - 

 http://blx1.bto.org/bt-dailyresults/results/s322-20-09.html

Birt Track is a wonderful project.  It is a partnership between Birdwatch Ireland, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology.  

I would still love to hear about your swallow sighting, but these large organisations can help us understand swallows lives better.

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I have been getting reports of swallow decline  in some areas and good swallow numbers in other areas.  So  I am trying to find a way to put all the information together as the reasons could be complicated. I have found out that

The British Trust for Ornithology  have

1, Bird Track page at  http://www.bto.org/birdtrack/

Why not take a look and enter your swallow information there as at the moment I don’t have any means of putting all the information together – except by typing it (which I may do!)

 Here is a link to view the results  - 

 http://blx1.bto.org/bt-dailyresults/results/s322-20-09.html

Have been  trying to see if there is a way to record all the swallow information I have received on my website and on my forum.   Wouldn’t it be great if we could.  Have looked at google maps and a site called Abundance Maps,but  the BTO are doing this recording which will help us understand the changes in swallow numbers.

I  spent time looking at  two mapping details  and I have put links below.   I do not think they are the best way to record the information and as I am not truly technical I did not understand them completely.

Breeding birds survey for mapping British birds -  http://www.ornitologia.org/publicacions/24_107_117.pdf

ABUNDANCE MAPS - http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/geotech/bbsmaps3.html

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Our swallows will soon be gone.  For the past few years their numbers have declined.  I wish I knew why.  Because swallows cover a wide area of this Planet Earth it could be a variety of reasons.

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A group called Swift Conservation are doing all they can to help the Swift population.

Click the link below to read about it

SWIFT TOWER AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN LONDON -

 

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Migration is a hazardous time and many birds die from starvation, in storms and from exhaustion.

European swallows spend the winter in three different areas  -

• Africa – south of the Sahara
• Arabia
• Indian sub-continent

Swallows take different migration routes depending on which area they are flying to and from.  This may explain why some areas of Britain have seen a drastic decline in swallow numbers and in other areas swallow numbers have remained static.  Could it be because some  migration routes have been safer/ easier  than others

When flying over areas such as the Sahara Desert they could easily starve during the flight.

Swallows -

• Put on little weight before they start to migrate
• Cover 200 miles a day
• Fly mainly during the day.
• They fly at speeds of 17-22 miler per hous.
• Their highest flight speed is 35 miles per hour.

 I have found this British Trust for Ornithology website page.  The page  was last updated on 28th November 2008.  It may be worthwhile if every person logs all their swallow  details

http://www.bto.org/appeals/swallow.htm

Here’s hoping they have a good flight back from whence they came.

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