What happened?

[Jacksparrow]

Today dawned in the Chateau garden like most others at this time of year save for one little detail. There were no birds in it The food I put out last night ready for the morning remained untouched and the leftover dried mealworms after the Hogs had fed were still to be eaten.
A couple of days back I found a few feathers on the ground suggesting a young Greenfinch had fallen victim to a Cat but all the birds kept coming as per usual so I thought no more of it. This afternoon a Lesser Blackbacked Gull was swooping around quite low over the garden but the few birds that had showed up completely ignored it.
I have only one other theory and that is that I have a Sparrowhawk patrolling my patch again after an absence of 18 months I know the birds get frightened if they've seen another taken by a BOP. Time will tell.

[Kev]

My bird feeders go through barren patches through the year. I always assumed the birds just ate certain things at certain times depending on abundance of 'real' food.

Could well be a predator about though.

[Placido]

A couple of days ago ?!?!?!?!
Maybe they know the sprawk is continuing to lurk but after any distressing forays of that kind I've always found that 'my' birds come back after an hour or two. An absence of two days is unknown in The Wee Glen.
I blame the disturbance caused by the tacking on of a new plasterboard West Wing to the 18C chateau .

[Jacksparrow]

A little more activity today but I can only draw a conclusion from the amount of food consumed as I was elsewhere for most of the day.

[Placido]

A little more activity today but I can only draw a conclusion from the amount of food consumed as I was elsewhere for most of the day.

Down at Jewsons

[Jacksparrow]

I'm happy to report that feeding levels have almost returned to pre-scare days

[Jacksparrow]

Three weeks on and I think I can finally say what happened. This afternoon I spent much of it in the garden but the birds were about during any lull of activity. I went indoors around 4:30 leaving the garden unwatched returning around 6 pm. The first thing that caught my attention was that "something" was in the birdbath. Closer inspection showed that it was sparrow feathers and quite a few of them. Something had used the birdbath as a plucking station That leaves little doubt in my mind that a Sparrowhawk has established a new territory and my garden is part of it. Closer inspection under the hanging feeders revealed more feathers so the victim was feeding when it was taken.
Needless to say but the bird population in my garden has gone to zero again.

[Placido]

Very sorry, Jacksparrow . Bad news. Only time will cure this but let's hope it doesn't teach the youngsters that le chateau beats McDonalds for fast food .

[nuthatch]

[Jacksparrow]

More feathers in the bird bath this morning. An early morning strike this time.