Today there were no birds !

Maybe your backyard birds decided to fly south where it is warmer. The birds in my backyard flew south for the winter a long time ago. I expect they will be back raising a ruckus by the time March gets here and it is warmer. I am wondering how far south they fly. If they stopped in Florida, they didn't completely escape the cold this past week. I live in western South Carolina.


[edit on 11-1-2010 by orionthehunter]

Fantastic pic

I think it must be a local issue, i'm in Glasgow and the birds have been visiting daily for the food I put out each morning.

Hope you get to the bottom of it, would be interesting to find out the cause.

Morning and thanks to everyone for posting.

Update....no birds, but I think (Hope) I know why !. My next door neighbour was telling me an hour ago that he found a dead, frozen cat between his hedge and wall. He said it looked like it had been hit by a car and probably crawled there to die.

He has removed it and Ive washed down (Disinfected) the area where he found it. Now its a matter of waiting to see if they now come.

Update to follow.

Respects



[edit on 11-1-2010 by captiva]

That's a robin????

I've never seen one like that before...

I have to admit they look a ton different here in the States...

i love birds, i hope they come back

this is suspensful

Hi. Last week I started a thread "the birds are missing". I suppose many people seemed to take it lightly.

But like with you, the silence was just too eerie.

I never mentioned it on the board, but I was out other places in the area and there were no birds anywhere. Not just at my house.

For three days (maybe 4) there were no birds. And then---boom. The freeze hit. This freeze was totally rare and bizarre weather for my area. And it still continues. However, the birds returned the day of the freeze.

So why were they gone for three days prior?

I don't know. Were there sonic sounds in the area? Are the weather patterns being contrived by some sort of frequencies? Are there "silent sound" weapons in use nearby?

All I know is that animals often give us warnings and indications if we watch their behavior.

Update...its been 9 hours since the dead cat was removed from the next doors garden. My hopes were up that this was the cause of the missing birds, but no. My feeders have been sitting idle all day, its now dark and apart from 1 solitary magpie picking at the grass through the snow, there have been no birds.

I went out a walk up the street, peering in others gardens ( Must have looked like a pervert or burgler) but the birds were no where to be seen.

I spoke to a couple of people out clearing their paths and when I mentioned to them they agreed it was strange as we scanned the sky and gardens.

This is weird, its as if the bird population has just flown off. No sign of any dead birds anywhere.

Ive emailed my local press and the local RSPB group. No replies as yet.

Respects

reply to post by DaMod


Yea. I would say the European robin is less agressive looking that the American version. Can yours be tamed? The male in the photograph is now hand feeding.

Respects

[edit on 11-1-2010 by captiva]

reply to post by captiva


Maybe they flew south?

They tend to do that when it gets cold..

------------------------------------

I've never personally tamed a robin. I'm sure it could be done.

[edit on 11-1-2010 by DaMod]

reply to post by DaMod


Yea I know, but here in Scotland the sparrows, starlings, robins and a few other finch spieces stay over winter. Those that moved south for the winter left in September/ October.

My thinking is wandering to a point where the reason for this has to be out of the ordinary.


respects

Beautiful pic of the robin, it is obvious that you see the importance of getting the eyes in focus.

I am also an avid bird watcher and keep a daily log of species that visit our feeders. None of the replies as of yet have stated the obvious - predators in the area. I frequently notice no bird activity in our neighbourhood, and will eventually see the problem - a Cooper's hawk will fly through looking for a meal.

reply to post by captiva


Well if it makes you feel any better I saw a white dove today. Plus, I live at about 6000 feet right now. You have never truly experienced cold until you have done so at 6000 feet let me tell you.

After going outside to have a cig (yes I know it is bad for me) the skies are pure blue with plenty of avian lifeforms traversing it's plane.

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If you guys love bird watching then I have a treat. I saw one of these 2 days ago in the tree just outside my living room window.

Red Tailed Hawk.



It was beautiful.

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You Euro bird watching types really need to visit the states. We have some really amazing bird life here.

[edit on 11-1-2010 by DaMod]

that is a gorgeous bird!!!! i love animals

reply to post by DaMod


Ok I am envious...is that also called the red tailed kite?

Some of my friends from the US snap them daily so I take it they are widely disperssed and abundant.

We had them re-introduced in Scotland 5 years ago, I think. The word is they are breeding but are still way short of having enough numbers that I could see or even photograph one.

Respects

[edit on 11-1-2010 by captiva]

reply to post by jankopernik


Thanks for the photograph comments. Here in Scotland I live in a city area. It is extremely rare to see hawks here as most live near the motorways and feed on road-kill. Ive snapped some sparrow hawks, merlins and buzzards from lay-by`s but have never seen any hunt this far into the city.

Respects

reply to post by captiva


Yes they are also called the red tailed kite. We get bald eagles around here too, except I have never had a camera available at the time to photograph one. I did get a shot of a golden eagle a while back, I'll have to dig it up and post it.

----------------------
Here is a placeholder shot in the meantime.



[edit on 11-1-2010 by DaMod]

reply to post by DaMod



BIRDS are BACK!! ...I asked where they had been but they aint speaking.

Thats the first site since Saturday. Im a happy human this morning

That photograph is just awesome. We have them here in Scotland, like yourself, my camera was in the car on the day in perth where I saw one lift an adult hare as if it weighed nothing.

Strong, silent and deadly.

Respects

[edit on 12-1-2010 by captiva]

Now this Is something to worry about.
Eveb the RSPB say some thing is up!
Lots of people in the UK are saying the same.
see links.

if after the bird watch this weekend
Big Garden watch 28 29
we have very low counts I will worry.
birds migrate so they could have fallen in the sea.
we poison the planet so much that it will not be long before it is too late.
everything will die off. everything is link't. then human last.

in the news.
link RSPB
bbc new mag