On Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:00:06 -0000, Janet wrote:


Sounds to me as if our bvirds have migrated East, Our numbers are
drasticaly down, We are using around 80% less feed than normal, we
just have Blue tits, a couple of great tits, a couple of robins
several blackbirds and a couple of greater spoted wood peckers, not a
sparrow in sight, last year we were providing bead and breakfast for
around 200 of the things.
I think that having a sparrow hawk moving in has driven most away..

We have sparrow hawks and other birds of prey in abundance here, the
hawks often hunt and kill birds in the garden but we still have hundreds
of small birds scoffing our feed supplies, just like Jake.

Janet (Scotland)

We get sparrow hawks here and also the occasional buzzard. However the
feeders are placed near shelter (overhanging thorny trees and shrubs)
and the table is near a tree and has a roof on it so opportunities to
swoop are limited.

I've had more sunflower hearts delivered today so I'm alright until
the end of January at current consumption but after that I'll have to
cut down somehow. There's no way I can afford to carry on spending at
this rate.

At least the blackbirds and thrushes have at last remembered where the
crab apple is and some tits are also having a go there. Downside is
that the car is parked underneath it so I have to remember to put a
cover over the car when it's on the drive. Don't say park in the
garage! Whoever designs modern houses doesn't allow for anything much
bigger than a Mini

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling (after the great storm) from
the usually dryer (east) end of Swansea Bay.