Have you noticed....?

June 19, 2022

This year there is a huge shortage of baby blue-tits. We usually have at least six of the nine nesting boxes in use on the Home Reserve; this year just one box has been occupied, and only six of the chicks have fledged.


Why, you may ask, as there are still a similar number of adult birds around?


Quite simply, there is a lack of food. For some reason, there are very few greenfly around this year - and this is the main diet for the young tits both in the nest and when fledging. Quite why this has happened is something of a mystery? It is however common for adult paired birds to restrict the size of the brood, or even abstain from nesting if they feel there is insufficient food available to sustain them.


The robins have increased in number, the wrens seem to be static as do both thrushes and blackbirds. The larger birds such as the jackdaws have flourished this year, and with the young having fledged just 9 days ago, already the parent birds are relining the nests to get another brood in this year.


Nigel

ADVICE

Wild Bird Advice and information

Many people would help birds more, if they knew simple easy ways in which they could help wild birds, without going to too-much extra trouble. Often there are ways to help – that don’t actually ‘cost’ anything at all, but can make a huge difference to making birds welcome and safe in the environment around us.

One of the main causes of bird injuries (especially young birds in the summer months), is being attacked by both pet and feral cats. A simple way to combat thi

Read More

LATEST NEWS

  • For such a short distance we've come a long way...

    As I was sat in the office before starting work earlier today, I remembered the founder of Three Owls; Mrs Eileen Watkin

    Readmore...

    March 5, 2024
  • It's been a busy month...

    For repairs that is... Following on from the two winter storms, which caused so much damage at our Rochdale Home Reserv

    Readmore...

    February 25, 2024
  • Snowdrops at last!

    Every year I post a photo like this! Lets celebrate the last day of january 2024 with these fragrant Snowdrops The detai

    Readmore...

    January 31, 2024
  • A stormy start to the New Year

    Well, the weather forecasters weren't wrong; we really did feel the force of Storm Jocelyn last night, and this time mor

    Readmore...

    January 24, 2024
  • Brrrr... It's a cold one today

    It's currently the coldest morning of the year, and I've just been out to replenish the water dishes at the Home Reserve

    Readmore...

    January 18, 2024

Read All