where are the birds?

[cecil39]

we used to have lots of birds in our garden, but even though the weather has turned so cold we have hardly seen one for ages, we always feed them, but lately have been throwing peanuts, all sorts of seed, and small apples (that the black birds usually love) on the compost as they have hung or laid about till they go mouldy, whats going on?

[Buenchico]

Has your neighbour recently acquired a cat. If so the birds will either be deterred - or simply lunch!

[douglas9401]

They'll come down when they're hungry enough. We've a few blackies, a robin, starlings by the dozen, sparrows and many of the crow types. Gulls seem to give us a miss though. :)

[hammerman]

They can get spooked a lot...as mentioned if a cat is around or, as i found in the garden i look after at work, a sparrow hawk is patrolling. The birds disappeared for months after the hawk came round for a few days.

[bensmum]

I think they've all come over to my garden! Mine don't seem to have stopped eating although there weren't so many over summer. Seriously I agree with the others - there may be a predator about which has spooked them but don't give up trying. During the colder weather they will need all the help they can get so maybe try a small amount until they start to feed again but not food n the ground. Do you have feeders up for them? If you have somewhere near the shelter of trees or bushes so that they can pop out on to the feeder then back into the the trees where they feel safe then you may see an increase in numbers.

[TheOtherHalf]

we dont have as many as usual. We could never keep up with buying and making fat balls for them. They would get through 6 a day and that was when we had a cat (now deceased bless him ) Now they dont seem very interested at all !!

[cecil39]

don't often see a cat around here, but we do get the odd hawk, we do have a covered bird table and hanging feeders near a large overgrown honeysuckle and these have been there for years, i have just been out to defrost the water in the birdbath and , guess i will have to be more patient, maybe the birds miss your cat theotherhalf.

[Chaffinch]

I've got the same problem, but there's still loads of food in the hedgerows even though its December! They'll come when there hungry!

[B00]

^ There's one ;-)

[Chaffinch]

lol Boo

[cecil39]

theres me saying there are no birds about, and a chaffinch replies, so thats where they are is it? indoors on answerbank.