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Janet · 09-09-2014, 06:56 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article ,
says...

David Hill wrote:

I don't know what has happened, from having a mass of birds on the
feeders suddenly yesterday there were almost none, I saw less birds
on them yesterday than I had been seeing in 15 mins. today is the
same, it's almost as if they have all migrated, but Tits etc. just
don't do that. Anyone else had the same?

Not quite as dramatic as that, but certainly inr the last few weeks my
feeders have lasted a week before being emptied whereas prior to that I
was filling them up pretty much every day.

If either of you have grain crops being harvested locally, or wild-
food sources seeding and ripe for eating, then the local birds you were
feeding in the garden, now have an alternative food source and a
change of menu.

Here's an example of how fast wild birds adapt to a new food source;

Last winter a new tenant farmer next door ploughed and reseeded some
very rough poor hill pasture which (apart from grazing sheep) had been
untouched for decades. 6 weeks ago, he cut a hay crop from the new
grass, and as he cut and baled it, red legged partridges appeared in our
garden for the first time; I'm pretty sure they were scared off the hill
to the relative p[eace and cover here. They tucked in to the wheat I put
down for pheasants and discovered that food rains down from the bird
tables ( seed kicked off by other birds).

I've never seen red leg partridges round here before and to all
appearances they had never seen people either, as the slightest glimpse
of us sent them scurrying off in a panic. But they turned up every day
for food and got used to us. Next thing, they started lining up on the
back step glaring at us through the glass door and tapping their watches
until I went out to feed them. Then I found one of them trailing me
round the garden like a dog, and when I fetched some wheat he took it
from my hand :-)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Red-legged_Partridge

Janet.