WHERE HAVE ALL THE BIRDS GONE.

Been out several times with the camera to local spots but have found it very hard to find any birds at all at some of them.The back garden has been woeful lately with very few birds visiting and the feeders have remained untouched.Only shot I've got there was of this Dunnock.

At Temple Fields a couple of Rooks where in one of the fields.

On the wires in the same field were 20+ House Martins still.

There are a few Pine trees with cones at Temple Fields so I check them out for Crossbills but no luck so far.Thought I was in a few days ago when from long distance I spotted a bird in the trees but it was a GS Woodpecker.

Did have some luck in Earlswood when I spotted a Common Buzzard on the ground at the back of a field. A bit distant and the sun was in my face but did manage a few shots.

 

HOUSE MARTINS

The other day I saw a reply to a tweet where someone had commented on the reduced number of birds over the last few years locally and a well known midlands birder responded  "Outside reserves birding in the countryside has now become very difficult with very little about". So I've timed my move away from reserves to the local countryside rather badly.

The above certainly is true to my local patch in Temple Balsall which although very nice to stroll round you've got to be very lucky to find any birds. I've been a few times since my last post and I did get a Nuthatch on the feeders.

Yesterday I had not even used the camera once on my walk round when in the distance I spotted a lot of birds on a distant electricity pylon cabling. I got a bit closer and could see there were a 100+ House Martins with a few Swallows. Probably discussing routes back to Africa. Couldn't get any great shots as the sun was behind the birds but very nice to see so many.