On Mon, 29 May 2006 15:56:12 +0100, BAC wrote
(in article ):


"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...
On Mon, 29 May 2006 14:21:23 +0100, Derek Turner wrote
(in article ):

Klara wrote:

Since we started summer feeding two years ago, there has been a huge
decline in the numbers of birds and numbers of species coming for the
food: a tenth the number of various kinds of tits and of blackbirds,
etc., and, most worryingly, no parents of any kind feeding young except
crows, magpies, and jackdaws.

We have two active farms, one at either end of our village. At my end
the farmer is very proactive in destroying corvids to protect his lambs.
At the other the farmer does nothing to control these pests. Surprise,
surprise, we have dozens of species of song-bird feeding in our garden.
Villagers at the other end are wondering why they have none. Forget the
cats - get a Larsen trap.

We have a very active rookery at the end of our garden and the garden and
nursery are alive with songbirds. Customers comment frequently on how
tame
they are and how unafraid of the many dozens of people milling around here
at
times. We feed them all year round, we encourage them in by giving them
plenty of areas in which to nest and by using biological controls in the
greenhouses and wherever possible, in the garden, too. Our rooks (and
jackdaws) are most certainly not reducing our songbird population.



They might not be reducing the populations of other garden birds at your
premises, but jackdaws are opportunistic feeders, their recognised diet
including eggs and hatchlings.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/gardens/guide/atoz/j/jackdaw.asp

The majority of fledglings fail to make it to adulthood, through 'natural
causes', including predation.



Perhaps because we encourage birds into the garden in a pretty active way,
they achieve their own balance. When we had ducklings, we netted the pond
for safety but none of the rooks or jackdaws showed any interest at all. We
are totally surrounded by fields and our nearest neighbour is the churchyard,
so perhaps they're well provided for in other ways.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

Derek Turner wrote:

Klara wrote:

Since we started summer feeding two years ago, there has been a huge
decline in the numbers of birds and numbers of species coming for the
food: a tenth the number of various kinds of tits and of blackbirds,
etc., and, most worryingly, no parents of any kind feeding young except
crows, magpies, and jackdaws.

We have two active farms, one at either end of our village. At my end
the farmer is very proactive in destroying corvids to protect his lambs.
At the other the farmer does nothing to control these pests. Surprise,
surprise, we have dozens of species of song-bird feeding in our garden.
Villagers at the other end are wondering why they have none. Forget the
cats - get a Larsen trap.

Amazing how any songbirds are left at all really, considering they've
been living side-by-side with corvids for thousands of years ......
--
Larry Stoter

"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...
On Mon, 29 May 2006 15:56:12 +0100, BAC wrote
(in article ):


"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...
On Mon, 29 May 2006 14:21:23 +0100, Derek Turner wrote
(in article ):

Klara wrote:

Since we started summer feeding two years ago, there has been a huge
decline in the numbers of birds and numbers of species coming for the
food: a tenth the number of various kinds of tits and of blackbirds,
etc., and, most worryingly, no parents of any kind feeding young
except
crows, magpies, and jackdaws.

We have two active farms, one at either end of our village. At my end
the farmer is very proactive in destroying corvids to protect his
lambs.
At the other the farmer does nothing to control these pests. Surprise,
surprise, we have dozens of species of song-bird feeding in our
garden.
Villagers at the other end are wondering why they have none. Forget
the
cats - get a Larsen trap.

We have a very active rookery at the end of our garden and the garden
and
nursery are alive with songbirds. Customers comment frequently on how
tame
they are and how unafraid of the many dozens of people milling around
here
at
times. We feed them all year round, we encourage them in by giving
them
plenty of areas in which to nest and by using biological controls in
the
greenhouses and wherever possible, in the garden, too. Our rooks (and
jackdaws) are most certainly not reducing our songbird population.



They might not be reducing the populations of other garden birds at your
premises, but jackdaws are opportunistic feeders, their recognised diet
including eggs and hatchlings.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/gardens/guide/atoz/j/jackdaw.asp

The majority of fledglings fail to make it to adulthood, through
'natural
causes', including predation.



Perhaps because we encourage birds into the garden in a pretty active way,
they achieve their own balance. When we had ducklings, we netted the
pond
for safety but none of the rooks or jackdaws showed any interest at all.
We
are totally surrounded by fields and our nearest neighbour is the
churchyard,
so perhaps they're well provided for in other ways.


Quite possibly - if a preferred food is plentiful and easily available,
they'll eat that.

Sacha wrote:
We have a very active rookery at the end of our garden and the garden and
nursery are alive with songbirds. Customers comment frequently on how tame
they are and how unafraid of the many dozens of people milling around here at
times.

Indeed. When I was over on Saturday, the most noticeable sound was the
sheer volume of bird song - especially in the garden. It was marvelous
to hear them in such fine voice. There was a blackbird scrabbling
around under the herbaceous benches behind the poly-tunnel and he
hardly bothered to look as I walked within 5 feet. Bird song has
gradually disappeared from everyday life over the past decades and
relatively few people realise it is missing. Even I had almost
forgotten what it was like to hear blackbirds, thrushes, dunnocks,
robins, warblers and the like in full voice. I've only just realised
that I've not even heard the chatter of blue tits in the garden for
years and they were my best ally in the war against greenfly and
caterpillars.

Back home, all I hear now is the calls of gulls, crows and woodpigeons
plus the occasional screech of peregrines as they try to catch the
pigeons. Out of 12 households along the drive here, there are 8
resident cats that are visited or fought by numerous visiting cats.
Those damn yankee squirrels are everywhere and there's not a blackbird
to be seen. If I put food out, the squirrels come down from the trees
in droves and then show their gratitude by chewing the bark off a
standard Abutilon before snipping emerging fronds from a tree fern.

On Tue, 30 May 2006 09:05:09 +0100, DavePoole Torquay wrote
(in article . com):

Sacha wrote:
We have a very active rookery at the end of our garden and the garden and
nursery are alive with songbirds. Customers comment frequently on how tame
they are and how unafraid of the many dozens of people milling around here
at
times.

Indeed. When I was over on Saturday, the most noticeable sound was the
sheer volume of bird song - especially in the garden. It was marvelous
to hear them in such fine voice. There was a blackbird scrabbling
around under the herbaceous benches behind the poly-tunnel and he
hardly bothered to look as I walked within 5 feet. Bird song has
gradually disappeared from everyday life over the past decades and
relatively few people realise it is missing. Even I had almost
forgotten what it was like to hear blackbirds, thrushes, dunnocks,
robins, warblers and the like in full voice. I've only just realised
that I've not even heard the chatter of blue tits in the garden for
years and they were my best ally in the war against greenfly and
caterpillars.

Blue tits are coming back to to the garden and my first memories of Hill
House were of blue tits absolutely everywhere. I think blackbirds,
chaffinches, sparrows and dunlins are our highest numbers of birds but there
are plenty of others, too. Lately, the volume of birdsong has increased
enormously - the rooks were *very* rowdy yesterday - and it's an absolute
joy.

Back home, all I hear now is the calls of gulls, crows and woodpigeons
plus the occasional screech of peregrines as they try to catch the
pigeons. Out of 12 households along the drive here, there are 8
resident cats that are visited or fought by numerous visiting cats.
Those damn yankee squirrels are everywhere and there's not a blackbird
to be seen. If I put food out, the squirrels come down from the trees
in droves and then show their gratitude by chewing the bark off a
standard Abutilon before snipping emerging fronds from a tree fern.


I now hang a seed feeder from the upstairs window of my study and get a mass
of birds on that, including blue tits and coal tits. At least the pesky
squirrels can't get at that, though I must admit I haven't seen a squirrel
here for ages.


--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

In article et, Sacha
Hubbard writes
We
are totally surrounded by fields and our nearest neighbour is the churchyard,
so perhaps they're well provided for in other ways.

Ah yes - in the absence of food and in the face of a predatory enemy,
spiritual succour doubtless supports them

--
regards avian maria