Birds and windows

Lots of birds attacking, pecking and unfortunately crashing into windows at the moment. Some of the birds that seem to be most aggressive to their reflections include pied and grey wagtails, carrion crows and blue tits. The influx of woodcock over the last few weeks has resulted in many of these low flying migrants crashing into buildings, many in towns and cities resulting in baffled urban folk finding 'odd' looking brown birds outside office blocks. The newly built Royal Botanical Gardens visitor centre in Edinburgh has been plagued with bird collisions, which again highlights the dangers that large glass buildings pose for wildlife.

Watching wildlife

Now is a good time to see large aggregations of buzzards in agricultural areas as they gather to take advantage of the spoils from recently ploughed fields, some reports have involved in excess of 50 birds. Worms and beetles play an important part in the diet of many birds of prey which does come as a surprise to many people.

Keep an eye open for barn owls hunting at dawn and dusk as many are still feeding young even into November. Siskin, redpoll and brambling will be turning up at bird feeders around the UK so we expect to start getting some more identification queries involving these species. If your not lucky enough to have them in the garden it is worth looking for them in areas with Alder and Birch, where they search for some of their favourite seed food.

A flock of Eastern crowned warblers?

With the amazing sighting of the eastern crowned warbler in south sheilds featuring heavily in the media, many people have contacted us with their sightings. Unfortunately, they have all been cases of mistaken identity. However, a couple of callers (Wolves, West Midlands and St Ives, Cambs) were lucky enough to see and photograph a yellow browed warbler in their gardens, top bird!

I wandered lonely as a swan

Many calls have related to concerns about single Swans, Geese and Ducks showing up in unexpected locations such as parks, gardens and coastal areas. During the autumn months, dispersal of the birds from their breeding and birth areas is perfectly normal. There is plenty of available food away from water bodies and although at first glance this may appear unusual to us, the birds themselves are perfectly able to cope alone in these habitats.  Only attempt to get the birds “rescued” if they are clearly injured, trapped or suffering.

Avian pox reports

The member groups of the Garden Bird Health Initiative (GBHi) have called for people to be vigilant of the symptoms of avian pox and help us monitor the spread in wild bird populations.  In the most common form (cutaneous pox), wart-like growths form around the eyes, beak and on unfeathered skin, including the legs. This often results in difficulty in breathing, feeding and seeing. In the less common form of pox (diphtheritic pox) the growths form inside the mouth, throat, lungs and windpipe. This results in difficulty in swallowing and breathing. Birds suffering from the disease (in either form) usually appear weak and emaciated. I you observe such signs please complete the garden bird disease monitoring form and email it into us at wildlife@rspb.org.uk

The National Trust follow RSPB advice on the dangers of mesh bags

The National Trusts latest members magazine featured tips on feeding garden birds fatballs in mesh nets amongst other well-intended ideas. This was brought to the attention of Ian in Wildlife Enquiries by one of our concerned members. Following a number of photos we’ve received showing broken and trapped birds legs we highlighted these potential dangers and the NT have since changed their policy on how to feed birds –  a great result indeed!

Yes, it's actually a goshawk
We have been sent hundreds of pictures of "goshawks" in gardens. These all turn out to be sparrowhawks, which are much more common. However, we were sent a photo of an actual male goshawk in a garden. This was is Wales and the area looked quite wooded so seemed suitable. It made a welcome change to say, "yes it is a goshawk"

Birds and windows
We received lots of reports of all sorts of birds pecking at their reflections in windows this week. This included two reports from further a field including some sunbirds in the Gambia and what we think is a crested goshawk pecking on a hotel room window in Malaysia.

Where possible we recommend putting up window stickers on the outside of the glass to break up the birds field of view on approach and reduce the number of impacts.

Bird disease
Still reports of dead finches coming in due Trichomoniasis. We are also getting reports of great tits with avian pox.

Starlings
Starlings in roofs is usually a spring thing but we are being asked how best to prevent them roosting. They can legally be blocked out as long as they are not nesting. If the starlings are blocked out then we are suggesting installing a nestbox on the roof to provide them with an alternative site.

Conversely, we are getting lots of requests for the best places to see starling pre-roost displays where they can watch this “allelomimetic” behaviour. Apparently, that's what it's called when they all copy each other's movements. Every day's a school day in Wildlife Enquiries.

Other recent sightings 

Woodcock sightings are being made across the country with them showing up in peoples gardens and park land, 72 were seen on Fair Isle yesterday (01/11).

We also took a report of a little egret sighted on the western isle of Benbecula (30/10). 

The invasion of Redwing and Fieldfare continues en mass across the UK - report your sightings here.

We received this update from Ben Mitchell, assistant warden at the RSPB Mersehead reserve..      

"We now have a staggering 12,210 Barnacle geese (this is the second highest count ever and rising!) and a whopping 2,200 Pink-footed geese (highest EVER count!) Due to the good coverage that the barnacle geese are receiving on Autumnwatch (live feeds from Caerlaverock WWT reserve just across the Nith from us) you might be asked where people can go to see these fantastic birds and as you can see there is only one answer-Mersehead! Incidentally I believe their latest count was a mere 7000-pah!" :)

For further details and contact information please visit the Mersehead pages on the main website! 

To witness the goose spectacle for yourself, you can attend a Goosey Gander walk at Mersehead. These are running each Thursday until 29 October from 11am - 1pm. The walks are free but booking is essential. For more information call 01387 780 579.

Winter arrivals
The past few days have seen droves of redwings and fieldfares moving into the country for the winter months, generating a few calls reporting "loads of thrushes eating the fruit off my trees!". The winter migrant starlings have also started to arrive. These will join with our resident breeding birds and form huge roosting flocks. Large numbers of geese will spend the winter in the UK so watch out for the V shaped skeins heading south.

Are you still here?

We've still had calls from concerned folk that swallows have remained near the nest long after the rest of the family have gone! It is normal to still sight swallows in October, although the vast majority have now gone. Late broods still need to build up strength before commencing their southerly movement. It will perhaps be a tricky journey one they'll inevitably attempt to take though.. We have also received some great photos of wheatears, which are now on their way out through the UK to Africa. These birds breed mainly in upland areas but can be seen in many places en route to their wintering sites.

More than 100 rare birds have been found dead in Malta by conservationists. The 137 protected birds, including marsh harriers and herons, were found on a rubbish heap in an operation involving 40 autumn migration birdwatchers from BirdLife Malta, which is an international partner of the RSPB on the islands.
Millions of migratory birds are ruthlessly slaughtered on their way to their breeding grounds in Europe. More than 100 species are being illegally killed.
Malta is one of the very worst offenders. The island is an important resting place for birds migrating over the Mediterranean, but during spring and autumn, hunters blast birds out of the skies in incredible numbers.

If we get calls from people who want to tell the Maltese what to do with their illegal bird killing, our International department is wanting to target the Maltese prime minister.

Lawrence Gonzi
Prime Minister of Malta
Office of the Prime Minister
Auberge de Castille,
Valletta VLT1061
Malta

BirdLife Malta welcomes overseas members. Your donation will help support BirdLife Malta, the island's wild bird conservation body, so they can monitor the situation, pass evidence to law enforcement agencies, and teach future generations to cherish the island's wild birds.

See Birdlife Malta website for updates and other information. http://www.birdlifemalta.org/

Sadly, not just the leaves are falling –
We have taken numerous calls from the public with concerns about tree cutting work happening in different localities. Trees give the main structure to a garden and attract a wide range of wildlife. Trees provide wildlife with shelter, food and nesting sites. Therefore, RSPB recommend felling should only ever be done if deemed essential or on the grounds of public health and safety.

The breeding season has now come too a close (although pigeons and doves may still have young in nests!). If the trees are void of active nests and there are no tree preservation orders (TPOs) served by the Local Authority, then legally felling work can proceed with the landowners consent.

IDs
One caller who thought they had lost their mind wanted to report seeing an amazing gathering of up to 50+ (that’s what she said!) red kites over the M40 motorway in Oxfordshire. Sizable groups occur at good feeding areas and the Oxfordshire/Bucks borders are a known stronghold through the RSPB reintroduction program since 1989.

Several calls have come in relating to bumper numbers of goldfinch flocks visiting garden feeders. In contrast, other concerned callers continue to report a sudden disappearance of the birds, poor goldfinches can’t please everyone!

This year appears to be a good “influx” year for Hummingbird hawk-moths, “no madam their not actual hummingbirds!” They are a sub-tropical immigrant species that do sometimes occur in the UK in large numbers. The larvae feed on sticky goose grass (gallium) and adults are often seen during autumn.

A distressed sounding caller described a very large pelican like bird in Essex, photographic identification later confirmed it to be a Maribu stork!

A man rang the office at the Forsinard reserve having sighted a very large bird with a backpack and an aerial sticking out from the pack.  This was in the mountains up here in the north west, near Tongue. It flew quite close to his car, being mobbed by crows or ravens [probably ravens]. After some investigation on my part, I discovered that the backpack was probably a satellite tag, rather than a radio tag (the latter have a smaller pack which tends to get preened into the feathers) and as the bird was not seen to have any wing tags, it was less than three years old (wing tagging is now illegal and no birds have been wing tagged since 2007. There has been tagging of both golden eagles and sea eagles, but as many more golden eagles have been tagged, that's probably what this bird was, and it's likely to have come from Mull.

Autumn Migration
A few inland callers have come across worn out manx shearwaters, which have become misguided and ended up following estuaries deeper inland. When this occurs it is refereed to as a “wreck”. Ideally, the birds will need to be feed and returned to the coast.

Keep your eyes pealed for the insurgence of Redwing and Fieldfare; they have been recorded in multiple sites according to reputable birdwatch websites but were still awaiting the flurry of calls. Watch the weather and wait for easterlies!

House martins and swallows
Lots of reports of these two species still using their nests. They can both have up to three broods over the season so these are cutting it fine and squeezing the last out of summer(?). Swallows and martins can remain in the UK until October or November.

Finch disease - Trichomoniasis
Still lots of reports coming in of sick and dead finches. More information can be seen here - Please help us keep a track of these incidents by filling and returning the downloadable form. Trichomoniasis isn't the only disease that can affect birds - see attached PDF file below for details of other possibilities.  

Sparrowhawks and white-tailed eagles
Lots of queries and some complaints about sparrowhawks in gardens. Also a troublesome white-tailed eagle taking chickens from a garden in Scotland.

Cormorants
We received quite a few queries about cormorants in distress. These are usually around the coast so the birds may be exhausted and washed ashore. Some, including juveniles, have been seen inland around rivers - unless obviously injured or distressed these are nothing to worry about - http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/cormorant/index.asp

Nestboxes
Lots of nestbox queries. We recommend cleaning them now to give birds a cosy winter roost - information here    We were also sent a cardboard nestbox to comment on. There were a few words that sprung to mind.......

Tufted puffin
The tufted puffin seen off the Kent coast last week caused a big stir, but only made a brief appearance for the lucky few who were in the right place at the right time.

IDs
We received a very good description of a yellow-browed warbler in Bucks. These birds are regular but rare migrants to the UK. Worth looking out for amongst goldcrest flocks.

Baby Pigeons
Although the breeding season is now over for the vast majority of birds. We continue to have calls from concerned folk who have come across pigeons and doves including one found in a toilet bowl? Its perfectly normal for them to spend a few days sitting around looking very sorry for themselves whilst they learn to grasp their surroundings. The parents continue to feed them for a short while and encourage them to develop their flight muscles by calling to them. Unless your sure the bird is injured we still recommend leaving well alone and let the parents take the lead - despite the numerous other risks! 

Racing Pigeons
We have had numerous calls of late from members of the public who have strangely friendly doves and pigeons showing up in their gardens or even houses! if the bird has rings on its legs is most likely to be a domesticated racing bird. We recommend not feeding them for more than a day, allowing them to perk up there energy and move on or getting the ring numbers and contacting the "Royal Pigeon Racing Association"..

Bird Disease
Trichomoniasis reports are still regularly received and we are also getting reports of avian pox. This causes reddish growths normally around the face. Dunnocks and great tits are most frequently reported with it. See: http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/health/sickbirds/disease.asp

Grey squirrel control
Queries about our role in controlling grey squirrels to protect reds have continued following a mention on Animal Aids website. Ruddy ducks also get a mention. For further details on this please see the news blog.

Nestbox cleaning
A few queries about whether to clean nestboxes out now the breeding season has finished.

The nests of most birds harbour fleas and other parasites, which remain to infest young birds that hatch the following year. We recommend that old nests be removed in the autumn, from August onwards once the birds have stopped using the box. Use boiling water to kill any remaining parasites, and let the box dry out thoroughly before replacing the lid. Insecticides and flea powders must not be used. If there are unhatched eggs in the box, these may be removed legally only between August and January, and must be disposed of. If you place a small handful of clean hay or wood shavings (not straw) in the box once it is thoroughly dry after cleaning, it may be used during the winter by small mammals to hibernate or by birds to roost. It is quite normal for a few eggs to fail to hatch, or for some young to die. Blue and great tits lay up to 14 eggs to allow for such losses. Cold weather and food shortage may lead to nest desertion, or to only the strongest young surviving. The death of one parent or interference from animals or humans may also cause desertion. Nestboxes in use should not be inspected. Simply watch and enjoy from a distance. If you want to see the chicks as they grow, consider installing a nestbox camera.

IDs
We were send a photo of a wryneck in a garden in Wiltshire and an escaped Harris's hawk which was apparently part of a pair. There was also a report of a few slender-billed curlews, which are almost certainly just curlews.

If you listen out and look for the birds regularly its clearly noticeable that there appears to be a distinct lack of birds at the moment. Is this the result of the reported declines in many species or is something equally sinister? In short the answer is no, its part of the annual cycle of birds, there is no single explanation but several factors are at play here.

For one, the birds have no reason to sing in the same way as this years breeding season is now coming to a close and territorial drive diminishes as the young have fledged the nest. 

Secondly, once birds have completed their breeding for the year, they will start to moult into fresh new feathers. Completing a moult of all feathers takes several weeks. During this period the birds will look rather scruffy, and while they are moulting their wing feathers, less able to escape predators. Hence, they will try and conceal themselves to avoid predators and territory disputes. These birds are easy to miss even by an expert observer, giving the impression of disappearance.

Thirdly, in late summer a bounty of natural food becomes available as grainfields, berries and fruit ripen. Many birds will abandon their nesting areas and move out to where the best food availability is. This is probably the time of the year when birds are least interested in offerings on bird tables. In areas where farmland is nearby, house sparrows, starlings and many finches move out to grainfields 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 create a total and very sudden disappearance of these birds from residential areas. 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 readily missed by most people. Even blackbirds and song thrushes tend to move to where there is an abundance of fruit or berries. Birds often return to gardens only when autumn frosts appear.

In response to the declines in numbers of bees within the UK the RSPB has made a press release which suggests a mix of two tablespoons of white granulated sugar and a tablespoon of water, placed in a small container such as an egg cup, among the bees' favourite flowers, should help give them a much needed energy boost!

It is unclear why bees are struggling, but bad weather may have played a role.

Bees fly less when it is wet and cold, meaning they have to work doubly hard to collect pollen and nectar when it clears us.

Wet weather also washes pollen off plants, leaving stores low and forcing bees to fly further afield than usual.  

We warn against making the mixture any stronger, to stop the bees getting excess amounts of sugar.

One national newspaper even went so far as to suggest giving bees a boost with Red Bull or Lucozade! We'd definitely not recommend that (and we've asked the paper to tell its readers the same)

Energy drinks such as these contain highly concentrated levels of sugars as well as many other additives which the bees would obviously never encounter in nature.

The white sugar mixture mentioned above is at levels which could be found naturally, and so by offering it in this way only we hope to help them.

Only small containers should also be used to stop birds diving in for a sugary bath, which could affect a bird's feathers.

Honey should also not be used as an alternative for sugar as most of it is imported and not suitable to native bee species. This could also contain viruses that may affect an entire colony, not just individual bees.

Val Osborne, head of RSPB wildlife enquiries here at The Lodge, said many people were noticing bees on the ground and wrongly assuming they were dead.

"We've been getting even more calls about bees than ever this year as most people have read that they are in trouble," she said.

"Much like us, a sugary drink could boost their energy levels and a simple sugar and water combination will be a welcome treat."

Bees are a keystone species in sustaining food chains and ensuring biodiversity on our planet. Albert Einstein is even alleged to have said that “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man,"

Cranes
The Crane project has generated a few queries. It involves taking chicks from Germany and eventually releasing them in Somerset. There have been some concerns about resources being diverted to a bird which is already breeding in the UK but it is also a flagship species for wider wetland conservation.

Other feather abnormalities
We have had a few unusual looking birds reported this week. A couple of albino starlings. We also have had three photos of "erythristic" birds, a house sparrow, starling and great tit. These are birds with unusual amounts of red pigment  - this is a genetic abnormality and can make identification a little tricky!.

Bird disease
Reports of dead birds (mainly greenfinches again) have been increasing as they did in previous years. This is likely to be trichomoniasis. We have had a report from France so it looks to have spread there. Further information about this is on our website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/health/sickbirds/greenfinches.asp

Dead bumblebees
Not just birds but bees are also being reported dead. This could be due to the weather, parasites or just the fact bumblebees are only short lived. According to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, as long as there are still some bees alive in your area then all should be fine. However, lots of dead bees and very few live ones could suggest there is a problem there. There is more information about this on the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website: www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk

A popular enquiry recently has been about 'odd' looking blackbirds; either missing feathers through being in moult (when they can look very scruffy and give the false impression of disease), or having 'unusual' colouring - usually patches of white where the normal pigment would occur. Reports of suspected ring ouzels in gardens are rarely so - unless you happen to live on a mountain or moor, or at a coastal migration hotspot!

All the best,

Darren