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Little Auk -
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Where have all the garden birds gone?
That’s a question that many people have been asking me recently, and the answer is that its quite normal at this time of the year for all the birds in the garden to virtually disappear overnight.
It usually coincides with the arrival of autumn crops of berries, nuts and seeds out in the countryside.
This looks like being a good year for many natural foods. I’ve already heard that 2006 has seen the biggest crop of acorns for some time, and worried horse owners have been calling for extra pigs to be let out into the forest to eat them, as part of the traditional panage season.
I’ve seen Holly bushes laden with berries and beech mast also seems plentiful, so there is quite a lot of food out there to keep the birds well fed at the moment. However with the recent cold spell of weather in early November, I’ve noticed a return of many of my garden birds and this will continue as the autumn turns to winter and the weather cools further.
Birds rely on us to provide extra food and water during hard times and without our help many will not be strong enough to survive through to the Spring.
Well the Autumn migration season is just about over for summer birds leaving our shores, though its always possible that a few stragglers might be passing through. I haven’t seen a Swallow since mid October, though there are usually a few around into early November.
We must now turn our attention to the winter visiting species, many of which are now here but in fairly small numbers. These will increase over the coming weeks and will be swelled by birds from the near continent if they experience a cold snap.
We already have good numbers of Brent Geese at Lepe and Calshot, and large flocks of Wigeon and Teal. Most of our winter waders are also here now and we are lucky that our area is internationally important as a winter feeding ground for many species such as Grey Plover and Dunlin.
Because our weather here in the Solent is usually quite mild compared to the rest of Britain and Europe, the birds know they can always get food along our coast, and huge flocks can form.
Winter Thrushes are also returning and if you have berries growing near you, look out for them descending en-masse and eating them all. As well as our resident Blackbirds and Song Thrushes, you could also play host to Redwings and Fieldfares. A large flock of Thrushes can strip a bush of berries in a matter of hours!
If you are at the beach look out for Snow Buntings, Rock Pipts or a real rarity, the Shore Lark, which can all l turn up in our area at this time of year. Back in your garden you might find over wintering Blackcaps or Chiffchaffs, and who knows, this might be another "Waxwing winter".
Every year thousands of these attractive birds arrive from Scandinavia looking for Berries to eat, but usually they restrict their travels to Scotland and northern England.
Every few years there is an irruption of even larger numbers which forces them southwards. Two or three years ago we had unprecedented numbers of them with many local sightings including at Hythe, so you never know, they might be back!
Happy birding.
Paul Matthews
STOP PRESS: NOVEMBER 5TH - A Little Auk has just been found off Shore road in Hythe. There have been a number of sightings off the south coast after recent storms in the Atlantic, but it is extremely rare to find them in the Solent.
Happy birding.
Paul Matthews
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