This winter wasn't good for garden birds in SW London. Greenfinch and
Goldfinch numbers were down, no siskins, no sparrows, starlings became
rare and we hardly saw any chaffinches.

I wonder whether other gardeners in the area had the same experience.

Joe
--

Josie wrote:
This winter wasn't good for garden birds in SW London. Greenfinch and
Goldfinch numbers were down, no siskins, no sparrows, starlings became
rare and we hardly saw any chaffinches.

I wonder whether other gardeners in the area had the same experience.

Joe
They can neither afford the cost of living nor the "Livingstone"
congestion charge with all that flying! :-)

Broadback wrote:
: Josie wrote:
:: This winter wasn't good for garden birds in SW London. Greenfinch
:: and Goldfinch numbers were down, no siskins, no sparrows, starlings
:: became rare and we hardly saw any chaffinches.
::
:: I wonder whether other gardeners in the area had the same experience.
::
:: Joe
: They can neither afford the cost of living nor the "Livingstone"
: congestion charge with all that flying! :-)

Your goldfinches and chaffinches have moved here in enormous numbers but the
only starlings I've seen are in the city centre which is most unusual.
Plenty of different tits, robins and blackbirds but no greenfinches

"Josie" wrote ..
This winter wasn't good for garden birds in SW London. Greenfinch and
Goldfinch numbers were down, no siskins, no sparrows, starlings became
rare and we hardly saw any chaffinches.

I wonder whether other gardeners in the area had the same experience.

Plenty of Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Blue/Coal/Great tits, Wrens, Dunnocks,
a few sparrows, noticed the lack of Starlings especially as I still have
fruit on one of the Cabbage/Cornish palms (Cordyline australis) which they
normally go mad for, no Blackcap either which has visited for the last few
winters. Plenty of Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves too.

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

I am not in London but have seen plenty of starlings,have only seen 1
greenfinch & chaffinch (so they must be around),the usual blackbirds,Robins
,wood pidgeons,collared doves .not seen so many blue tits/great tits.The
resident dunnock has a mate now.
--
Thanks Keith
Nottingham UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Josie" wrote ..
This winter wasn't good for garden birds in SW London. Greenfinch and
Goldfinch numbers were down, no siskins, no sparrows, starlings became
rare and we hardly saw any chaffinches.

I wonder whether other gardeners in the area had the same experience.

Plenty of Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Blue/Coal/Great tits, Wrens,
Dunnocks, a few sparrows, noticed the lack of Starlings especially as I
still have fruit on one of the Cabbage/Cornish palms (Cordyline australis)
which they normally go mad for, no Blackcap either which has visited for
the last few winters. Plenty of Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves too.

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

In message
Josie wrote:

This winter wasn't good for garden birds in SW London. Greenfinch and
Goldfinch numbers were down, no siskins, no sparrows, starlings became
rare and we hardly saw any chaffinches.

I wonder whether other gardeners in the area had the same experience.

Is that because all the greenfinches in SW London are queuing up at our
sunflower feeder to the annoyance of the regular tits and chaffinches ?
Agree with lack of sparrows and siskins but Goldfinches are around these
parts.

Paul



--
CTC Right to Ride Representative for Richmond upon Thames

Im in Swale, Kent, and have seen plenty of Starlings and Sparrows... the garden is literally covered with Starlings most days. We also have a resident Dunnock and Robin, with the occasional visit from a pair of Blue Tits and a pair of Great Tits. Add a couple of Collared Doves to that and it's a pretty busy garden... but Sparrows and Starlings are in great numbers here...

In message , Josie
wrote
This winter wasn't good for garden birds in SW London. Greenfinch and
Goldfinch numbers were down, no siskins, no sparrows, starlings became
rare and we hardly saw any chaffinches.

I wonder whether other gardeners in the area had the same experience.

The number of birds in your garden will be inversely proportional to the
number of your antisocial neighbours who will not control their 'pet'
cats.

--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

I am in Hampshire and bird numbers definitely down here. I think its because the weather has been so mild they have not needed to come to the feeders. as there is still so much to eat in the fiels and woods surrounding us. The berries on my pyracantha are normally stripped bare by blackbirds but this year most of them are still there. Had a starling checking out a robin nesting box last week that was quite funny. It couldn't get its bottom in. Kept trying for nearly half an hour!!

"Josie" wrote
This winter wasn't good for garden birds in SW London. Greenfinch and
Goldfinch numbers were down, no siskins, no sparrows, starlings became
rare and we hardly saw any chaffinches.

I wonder whether other gardeners in the area had the same experience.

I was thinking only last week that this winter we've had far fewer birds
come to the feeders and birdtable. Whether that's because the weather's
been mild enough that they've had plenty of natural food around I don't
know. This year we had the best crop of rowan berries we ever had on one
tree and they lasted all through winter, which was a first. Usually the
blackbirds strip them in no time. Greenfinch numbers are well down and
we haven't had a squabbling flock of starlings on the lawn for quite
some time now.

--
Sue

"Josie" wrote in message
...
This winter wasn't good for garden birds in SW London. Greenfinch and
Goldfinch numbers were down, no siskins, no sparrows, starlings became
rare and we hardly saw any chaffinches.

I wonder whether other gardeners in the area had the same experience.

Joe

The sparrows and starlings are all over here in my garden :~)
Rotterdam Holland
Jenny:~)

On 26 Feb, 06:11, "JennyC" wrote:
The sparrows and starlings are all over here in my garden :~)
Rotterdam Holland

Gangs of Bluetits everywhere here, perhaps more than we'd seen before,
sparrows and starlings, Robins, Mrs blackbirds looking for possible
nesting sites, turtledoves nesting in a red cedar, magpies nesting in
the lime tree opposite our bedroom window (always using the same
branches to get to it like little steps) and owls - but what is now
driving us a bit crazy in our litttle close is a bird which I cannot
identify as I haven't seen it and cannot recognise its churpings, from
midnight onwards it sings like there's no tomorrow, alone in the night
it seems as no other birds respond to it, waking us all up and carries
on for ages - once I kept awake until 1.30am! We are desperate to shut
it up even though we find it quite cute.

On 26 Feb 2007 03:15:58 -0800, "La Puce" wrote:

On 26 Feb, 06:11, "JennyC" wrote:
The sparrows and starlings are all over here in my garden :~)
Rotterdam Holland

Gangs of Bluetits everywhere here, perhaps more than we'd seen before,
sparrows and starlings, Robins, Mrs blackbirds looking for possible
nesting sites, turtledoves nesting in a red cedar, magpies nesting in
the lime tree opposite our bedroom window (always using the same
branches to get to it like little steps) and owls - but what is now
driving us a bit crazy in our litttle close is a bird which I cannot
identify as I haven't seen it and cannot recognise its churpings, from
midnight onwards it sings like there's no tomorrow, alone in the night
it seems as no other birds respond to it, waking us all up and carries
on for ages - once I kept awake until 1.30am! We are desperate to shut
it up even though we find it quite cute.

Sounds like you could do with some therapy. It only bothers you
because you let it. Hardly like barking dogs, or neighbors from hell
is it?


--









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On 26 Feb, 11:20, "Pete ‹(•¿•)›" wrote:
Sounds like you could do with some therapy. It only bothers you
because you let it. Hardly like barking dogs, or neighbors from hell
is it?

It doesn't *really* bother us - though it is odd to say the least.
When my oldest goes to bed after us and I just about hear him in my
mid sleep and hear the bird singing, I always think that it must be
around 5/6am and many times I think of getting up. It's hard to go
back to sleep when I realise it's only 1am )

The only barking dogs I hear are mine and the neighbours are quite
adorable.

On 26 Feb 2007 03:40:29 -0800, "La Puce" wrote:

On 26 Feb, 11:20, "Pete ‹(•¿•)›" wrote:
Sounds like you could do with some therapy. It only bothers you
because you let it. Hardly like barking dogs, or neighbors from hell
is it?

It doesn't *really* bother us - though it is odd to say the least.

Why not have a night foray and try to discover exactly what it is?
Mind you, sods law dictates he'll not appear

When my oldest goes to bed after us and I just about hear him in my
mid sleep and hear the bird singing, I always think that it must be
around 5/6am and many times I think of getting up. It's hard to go
back to sleep when I realise it's only 1am )

Say some prayers.

The only barking dogs I hear are mine and the neighbours are quite
adorable.

Hmm. Wish we could say the same here!
--









Disclaimer

Pete has taken all reasonable care to ensure that pages published by him
were accurate on the date of publication or last modification.
Other pages which may be linked or which Pete may have published are in
a personal capacity. Pete takes no responsibility for the consequences
of error or for any loss or damage suffered by users of any of the information
published on any of these pages, and such information does not form any
basis of a contract with readers or users of it.

It is in the nature of Usenet & Web sites, that much of the information is
experimental or constantly changing, that information published may
be for test purposes only, may be out of date, or may be the personal
opinion of the author.
Readers should verify information gained from the Web/Usenet with the appropriate
authorities before relying on it.

Should you no longer wish to read this material or content, please use your
newsreaders kill filter.