Garden Wildlife UK

Wow, Kev - I've had to run to my best birdie book to check: "Eggs laid generally in late April/early June."
That really is early.

Kev wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:36 pm Several of the blueys coming to my feeder at the moment have beaks full of moss and grass. They be nest building My favourite time of the year!

Yep! Agreed a great time of the year but somewhat marred by current affairs

It is my normal habit to go into the garden mid-morning to put out a some sultanas for the birds. My cheekiest Blackbird is not one to let this event slip my memory. As soon as I open the back door for whatever other reason he is in my face flicking around trying to catch my eye. If I do not go straight for the sultanas he follows me around until I do.

Jacksparrow wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:08 pm It is my normal habit to go into the garden mid-morning to put out a some sultanas for the birds. My cheekiest Blackbird is not one to let this event slip my memory. As soon as I open the back door for whatever other reason he is in my face flicking around trying to catch my eye. If I do not go straight for the sultanas he follows me around until I do.

That is so sweet Jack , my blackie is super friendly, friendlier than my robin , he comes and eats and takes food away right in front of me, doesn't even wait for me to move away

For the first time ever, I've stopped putting out any suet pellets at all. Normally the demand definitely drops off during late summer and I reduce the quantity accordingly but this year there is no pick-up at all.
So, only mixed seeds and sunflower hearts are being proffered at the moment and no reduction in numbers has been noticed.
Demand And Supply ......

Not reduced suet pellets here. But i have increased the seeds, as the sparrows seem to be eating them like anything.

I bought a bird table for my garden birds, first time I have a bird table and its proven to be super popular

Starlings, woodies, doves, magpies are all over it all the time, there is never any food left on it , while the same food in other feeders is still there.
If any of you have experience with bird tables can you tell me if blackbirds use it? I haven't seen any of my blackbirds for over a month

Blackbirds are laying low at the moment due to moulting. Have only ever seen one blackbird on my table. They are basically ground feeders.

Thanks Willpar , I thought they are, but thought maybe they use bird table because other ground feeding birds use it

Not for the first time I find myself feeding increasing number of feral pigeons. A particularly persistent flock of about 10 or 12 can hang around on the chateau roof for hours at a time swooping down en masse when they think I'm not about raiding the hanging feeders and scaring the smaller birds away.
This thuggery cannot be tolerated so the coming week will see desperate measures for desperate times(OK a little hyperbole there ) Unfortunately my planned remedy involves withdrawing the food which means all the birds will be denied access for certain periods so I just hope they are not put off completely while I encourage the ferals to look elsewhere.