Bird table take over

IanH
IanH Club Member Posts: 4,708
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edited August 2016 in Wildlife, Nature & the Great Outdoors #1

Our bird table has been taken over by Thrushes!

Poor old Blackbird doesn't get a look in any more. And the smaller birds have to dive in and out when they can.

Is there a Thrush population explosion, or is this just a local family?

Comments

  • holmesonwheels24
    holmesonwheels24 Forum Participant Posts: 148 Participant
    edited August 2016 #2

    I hope it is a population explosion, the dry weather we are having will not help with the snale population which forms a large part of the thrushes diet.

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,371 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #3

    Jays took ours over until I disposed of them. Back to normal now but two Woodpecker chicks have made it their home- Lazy beggars

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #4

    Blasted  woodpigeons  have  discovered  that  they  can  reach  two  of  my  tubular seed  feeders  by  standing  on  the  tallest  twig  of  one  of  my  bushes  !  So  I'm  going  to  buy  a  couple  of  the  shorter  variety  feeders  or  cut  down  two 
    of  the  older  feeders.  I  don't  mind  the  pigeons  but  Woodys  are  like  blooming  vacuum  cleaners,  once  they  start  they  carry  on  'til  everything  has  gone!.

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987
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    edited August 2016 #5

    If they have wings then they are welcome Happy I don't discriminate, I just fill it up more often
    Innocent

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #6

    ??  Bingo  Wings  Surprised??

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #7

    We've got a variety of choice on our bird feeder and the sparrowhawk knows it...Wink

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,965
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    edited August 2016 #8

    Surprised by your post, Ian as our Blackbirds intimidate the Song Thrushes. Be glad that you're garden is successful in attracting these birds as not long ago HuskyD was asking where all the Thrushes had gone.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #9

    I don't think I've ever seen a Thrush on our bird table, what are they eating Ian, they obviously like something you're putting out?

  • Fysherman
    Fysherman Forum Participant Posts: 1,570 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #10

    Our bird table has been taken over by Thrushes!

    Poor old Blackbird doesn't get a look in any more. And the smaller birds have to dive in and out when they can.

    Is there a Thrush population explosion, or is this just a local family?

    Would you like some of my Blackbirds Ian?

    They will bust up your woosy Blackbirds, mug your Thrushes -

     then eat them all Yell

  • IanH
    IanH Club Member Posts: 4,708
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    edited August 2016 #11

    I don't think I've ever seen a Thrush on our bird table, what are they eating Ian, they obviously like something you're putting out?

    Usually a mixture of bird seed, sunflower seeds, suet pellets and dried mealworms.

     

  • IamtheGaitor
    IamtheGaitor Forum Participant Posts: 529 Participant
    edited August 2016 #12

    Jays took ours over until I disposed of them. 

    That does not sound very friendly???

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Club Member Posts: 10,224
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    edited August 2016 #13

     

    Would you like some of my Blackbirds Ian?

    They will bust up your woosy Blackbirds, mug your Thrushes -

     then eat them all Yell

    SR 71's is cheating. Wink

  • tigerfish
    tigerfish Forum Participant Posts: 1,362 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #14

    Only just read this thread, and I am surprised at the extreme differences.

    I live just to the North of Bristol - In South Gloucestershire, but I haven't actually seen a thrush in years, and I have a large back garden.  My feeders are mainly attended by Blue and Great Tits, Sparrows and Ring necked Doves.  Occasional Wood Pigeons,
    black caps and of course Robins. I have had one Jay in 32 years!  Gold Finches have suddenly arrived too.

    Late one evening last year I was suddenly visited by what seemed like hundreds of Red Wings who stripped my spectacular display of Firethorne berries on the back of the house in about 15 minutes!

    TF

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #15

    Our bird table has been taken over by Thrushes!

    Poor old Blackbird doesn't get a look in any more. And the smaller birds have to dive in and out when they can.

    Is there a Thrush population explosion, or is this just a local family?

    Are they mistle thrushes, Ian? They can be very aggressive and territorial. Song thrushes tend to keep a much lower profile.

    We rarely get either in our moorland edge garden.

  • IanH
    IanH Club Member Posts: 4,708
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    edited August 2016 #16

    Our bird table has been taken over by Thrushes!

    Poor old Blackbird doesn't get a look in any more. And the smaller birds have to dive in and out when they can.

    Is there a Thrush population explosion, or is this just a local family?

    Are they mistle thrushes, Ian? They can be very aggressive and territorial. Song thrushes tend to keep a much lower profile.

    We rarely get either in our moorland edge garden.

    I'll have to look that up in the book.

    They don't seem as speckled as usual, and (what I assume are youngsters) are a reddy brown.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #17

    Maybe they are young blackbirds, they are speckled and a reddy brown mix?

  • IanH
    IanH Club Member Posts: 4,708
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    edited August 2016 #18

    No, definitely not Blackbirds......they are a family, parents lightly speckled and young a reddy brown.

    Pliers - not Mistle Thrushes as they seem to have a white chest patch.

    And they are aggressive towards the Blackbirds.

  • tigerfish
    tigerfish Forum Participant Posts: 1,362 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #19

    Some might like my story regarding "gangs" in the story section. Its about my rear garden which now literally teams with birds!

    TF

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #20

    Some might like my story regarding "gangs" in the story section. Its about my rear garden which now literally teams with birds!

    TF

    WI'll take a look now T.F.

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864 Participant
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    edited August 2016 #21

    Some might like my story regarding "gangs" in the story section. Its about my rear garden which now literally teams with birds!

    TF

    Brilliant!

    Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in birds. Thanks for posting, T.F.

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