Where have my birds gone?

We've a number of feeders in the front and back gardens - but for the last few months the feeders in the back garden are not being used (apart from the niger feeders).  Can anyone explain why this is?  We keep cleaning out the feeders and re-filling them but the various tits and sparrows (that have fed from them for several years) are absent.  Any ideas?

Hi Anne welcome to the forum.

We've all had quiet periods in the garden i think it's down to the mild weather and there being plenty of natural food left.

Hi Alan,Im glad you said that!!

Ive thrown away piles of uneaten food over the las few months although ive cut it down for now. I suppose it doesnt help with the sparrowhawk that has moved in? Weve see the remains of a pidgeon in the garden and have spotted it a few times as well.

Having said that, the bushes seem to be still stacked with berries etc?

I think many of us are having quiet times in our gardens. I've had the odd day with hardly any to speak of, but this morning we had a humungous hail storm leaving great clumps of hail covering the ground - and my garden is busy again!

Welcome to the forum!

Our feeders are very quiet as well. We have a window feeder and several others in the garden and I have not had to fill them for a couple of days. I'm sure its just a passing thing. I hope your feeders are back in use soon!

This time last year I was spoiled by the variety of birds in the garden.  This year it's very different with only a few.  One thing it does mean is that there's still plently of natural food out there for them.  They'll be back when they start nesting.

appleanne

They'll be back when they start nesting.

Or when the Big Freeze arrives!!!!   Brrrrrrrrrr

The only time it's quiet in my garden is when it's blowing a gale or the sparrowhawk is nearby and all the birds are in hiding. I only feed in my back garden - the front is too open. I have noticed there are more birds when it's been frosty (three times so far) and the ground feeders empty quickly.

There's very little action on the peanut and fatball feeders so far. I put up the fatball feeder two days ago because the rain had made the last lot of fatballs disgusting. I've changed brands and am using a different feeder but there"s only been a couple of blue tits using it.

I think the majority of birds are sticking with the ground feeders because I've put them nearer cover. I haven't managed a photograph yet but I've caught the sparrowhawk flying away a couple of  times  and there've been two strikes that have left feathers.

Are your feeders near cover? I have an escallonia up against a wall that heaves with birds when something spooks them.

Thank you all for your re-assurances.  At least I know it's not just me that's noticing an ansence of birds on the feeders!