GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

22-02-2006, 10:58 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 22/2/06 14:12, in article
, "Gardening_Convert"
wrote:

I just had a brief conversation with someone who basically said 'where
have all the birds gone'

Apparently there doesn't seem to be the amount of birds out there that
would normally be expected.

I haven't really noticed a lack of birds but out of interest I thought
I'd ask the group if you have noticed any shortfall in birds around at
the moment.

I'm located in Reading , Berkshire

I first knew this garden in the South Hams of South Devon, in 1999. It was
alive with blue tits, chaffinches, blackbirds, sparrows, robins, and there
were many thrushes. Now, the numbers have dwindled considerably while we
have made very few changes to the garden. In comparison to some, I'm sure we
have a high bird population and we encourage them in all possible ways.
They both nest and feed in all the greenhouses, both from the seed/fat balls
and peanut feeders and from the insects. We don¹t use pesticides. We have
sparrows nesting in the wooden eaves of the tea room and rooks in the
Atlantic cedar, as always; jackdaws squabble on top of the chimneys and
provide a cabaret on one of the lawns. We have all the birds I mention,
plus greenfinches and the occasional woodpecker but not in the numbers I saw
that quite short time ago. Goodness knows why, from our pov but as someone
who came to this garden quite a short time ago and now observes it every
day, I do know that bird numbers have dropped considerably.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)