News: December 2004

The BTO say that widespread reports of 'birdless' gardens in late September may have been because of a glut of food on farmland caused by the summer rains.

In the magazine 'Bird Table' (membership magazine for participants of Garden Birdwatch), David Glue states that quiet September gardens (i.e. fewer birds) are a normal event, but this year seems to have been quieter than most. He speculates that the earlier heavy rains of the summer spoiled many farmland cereal crops which were consequently left in the fields, creating a feeding bonanza for many seed eating birds like finches. These may consequently have been drawn away from gardens in greater numbers than usual.

David Glue. Seasonal Round-up in Bird Table, Issue 40 - Winter 2004.