"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2010-01-07 14:47:24 +0000, "Bob Hobden" said:


"David WE Roberts" wrote ...
Well, the fieldfares are so busy fighting each other and the blackbirds
that none of them seem to have time to eat.

I've increased the number of feeding stations to try and split them up,
but there are still too may birds to feed peacefully.

Earlier there were just loads of blackbirds - seven or eight males - all
sitting on the fence or surrounding trees.
For terrritorial birds this is most unusual.

The main problem is finding a snow free area to hold the food.
Under the table, the swing chair, and the sun lounger are the only
snow-free areas. It is also snowing again.

Things must be getting pretty desperate in the avian world now that the
normal food sources are covered in snow and ice.

I am now contemplating on how to build a bird table (or snow shelter) to
keep the bird food free from snow.

BBC are now running clips from previous severe winters and talking about
what it was like to be snowed in for months.
Also, local radio is talking of panic buying in the food shops.

Interesting times.

Don't forget water too, most of it out there is frozen solid and the
birds need to find some to drink. They use the filter outfall into our
pond which always stays unfrozen.


I believe, Sacha, that birds can manage to 'drink' by eating snow. Their
real problem with water freezing is that they can't bathe and clean their
feathers. This means they can't insulate themselves properly against the
cold and are more likely to perish. I try and keep a large tray of water
ice-free, specially for bathing.

Spider


Bob, we stop the pumps running in winter on the grounds that it makes the
water colder if it's being recirculated. I think that's the reason
anyway! Presumably you don't go along with this theory?
--
Sacha