garden birds

They need water, and insects.

I have about 10 shallow containers I refill every few days, 2 higher bird baths, and bought a plastic sand pit to place in the middle of lawn, with 2 large stones for perching, filled with clean water. Birds use them all the time, and swallows swoop over it to drink, and bats too.

Plastic lawns, fences instead of hedges, front gardens turned into car parks- the list is endless.

I've got a bird bath, and a shallow tray for hedgehogs. I've been filling them every day. Up until about a week ago, I'd seen birds in both.

Thanks, Fleurpepper for reminding us that birds need water too in this hot weather and no rain for ages (down here in the south anyway). I've put out some old ice cream containers and fill them up every day.
The garden does seem quieter lately. Where do they all go?

I too keep 3 shallow dishes for birds and frogs and hedgehogs if any. They are a bit of extra work as the ones in sun get algae and the one in shade get fallen leaves. Washing and refilling is one of today's chores actually.

I have seen few garden birds all summer except the woodpigeons and occasionally the robin. I hear a lot of them in the trees including one sweet singer I could not identify.

What I use for birds' water is my two leaf lifters which are very shallow, and the top tray off my zimmer also shallow and a nice quiet grey colour.

I found this information on the RSPB website -

Because birds sing to establish and defend a territory and to attract a mate, they sing mainly during spring and early summer.

Some birds only raise one brood and even those that raise several broods in a year have little need to continue singing much after June. When chicks from the first broods of many birds have left the nest, the adults no longer need to defend their territory so vocally.

People notice this rather sudden end to the dawn chorus and often think that something has happened to the birds. There's no need to worry though - it's just a normal change in their behaviour.

I was just saying the same to my daughter. I feed/water all year round but I haven’t seen any blue tits, finches or robins for ages - just jackdaws, wood pigeons and doves. In the harsh weather, I can hardly keep up with the demand for food and I buy what’s appropriate for the species.

RSPB -

The apparent disappearance of birds in August is another natural change and a part of the annual cycle of birds. There are two reasons for this.

Firstly, once birds have completed their breeding for the year, they start to moult into fresh new feathers. Completing a moult of all feathers takes several weeks. During this period birds look rather scruffy, and while they are moulting their wing feathers, they are less able to escape predators.

During this time, they conceal themselves as much as possible to avoid predators and territory disputes. It's easy to get the impression that they've disappeared.

Secondly, in late summer a bounty of natural food becomes available as grain, berries and fruit ripen. Many birds abandon their nesting areas and move to where the most food is. This is probably the time of the year when birds are least interested in the offerings on our bird tables.

In areas where farmland is nearby, house sparrows, starlings and many finches move out to fields to feast on the abundance of grain before it is harvested, and on the spilt grain after the harvest. Depending on the location, this can cause a sudden disappearance of these birds from residential areas and gardens.

Even in cities, sparrows and finches are attracted to any piece of rough ground that provides a good crop of weed seeds. Tits tend to abandon their territories soon after their young fledge, and spend most of their time in the late summer (first in family groups, later in larger flocks) high up in tree canopies, where they are easily missed. Even blackbirds and song thrushes tend to move to where there is an abundance of fruit or berries.

Birds often only return to our gardens when autumn frosts appear.

I feel reassured now

That's fascinating, HowVeryDareYou. Thanks for posting.

That answers everythingHVDY and I’ve just seen the scruffiest robin ever - presumably moulting - it did look a bit sorry for itself.

Yesterday evening all I could hear was masses of parakeets, all noisily squawking as they headed off to wherever they roost, and the crows - lately the crows hardly ever seem to shut up!

If I throw anything on the lawn for the birds, e.g. the odd stale piece of bread or crust, I can almost guarantee that a crow will be down almost before I’m back in the kitchen.

They will pick up as many pieces as they can manage, and if it’s anything dry, will then take it to one of our 3 bird baths for a good soaking - leaving crumbs as evidence.

Of course the singing has gone- but my garden is full of birds of so many types.

Witzend Crows are clever birds. I've seen them soaking pieces of bread in the birdbath. I'd love to see or hear parakeets! All I've heard today is a couple of wood pigeons, making that cooing sound.