Where have all the blue tits / robins gone (since May)?

[bakedcrisps]

At the start of lockdown we set up a bird feeder outside. It was a great success and we had blue tits, coal/great tits, robins, long tailed tits, blackbirds, wood pigeons, starlings and sparrows using it.

Then we had fledging starlings, blue tits, and long tailed tits using it.

However, for the past few weeks, all these birds have disappeared and the only (and I mean ONLY) birds using it are the sparrows. I haven’t seen any other breeds in my garden for ages.

Where on earth have all the other birds gone??

fledgling!

My very tame robin disappeared about 3 weeks ago. He use to wait for me every morning and swoop round my head in excitement when I appeared with his bird seed. I wondered if they go away after the babies have grown up.

Sorry to be a downer but, has a new cat moved into the neighbourhood?

That would be my first thought sorry.

Same here! We’ve no little birds at the little bird feeder in about two weeks now. Just magpies and ugly pigeons.

I think once they have raised their chicks, the birds are a bit ragged and knackered and basically lie low for a bit to recover. They'll still be around but not as noticeable as they're not quite as busy.

The same Robin stills visits my garden everyday. My children and i stand by the patio doors watching him hop around.

Our family of robins went in April May
Not sure why but last year a neighbours cat dud attack a nest so no more robins
I was overjoyed when they came back for winter

Same here. It was wonderful earlier in the year, now I've got wood pigeons and an occasional blackbird who's only here for my strawberries.

I think it perks up a bit in the autumn. There are enough natural food sources at the moment.

We've had loads of robins recently but disappointingly I've hardly seen any tits.

Mine tend to disappear over summer and re-appear in the autumn.

That's true, I haven't seen a blue tit in my garden for weeks and we usually have loads. I've seen lots of Robins on my walks though.

They’re in my garden. Started feeding them a few weeks ago. There’s a flock of blue tits, great tits and coal tits turn up for a nosh as well as robins, sparrows, dunnocks, a wren, some messy eating starlings, some now fat collared doves and a jackdaw that’s keeps falling off the bird feeder because he’s too big. But they squirrel who turned up a few weeks ago has been conspicuous in his absence these last 5 days, have we done a swap?

They're still visiting my feeder! We have blue tits (juvenile and adult), goldfinches, great tits, robins, long tailed tits and the usual sparrows and starlings. The goldfinches usually disappear for a bit in the autumn but usually return before too long. The others all seem to be regular year round visitors but we've definitely had more since start of lockdown. Have you changed what you're feeding them?

Our blue tits haven't been seen for about 3 weeks too.

Same here! I had a pair of Robins, same of Blue Tits and same again of Great Tits. All flown away. I presume it’s because there’s a lot of natural food sources in the summer.

I do have a pair of Dunnocks who are cute. Plus a pair of greedy Pigeons who come for the fat balls I leave out for an occasional visiting Blackbird. And a magpie has taken up residence in my tree.

Our robins are still around and so is the blackbird, but what I haven't seen as many of this years are the swallows.

What food are you putting out?
Robins are not seed eaters, nor are tits
they like mealworms and meat

my seed feeder gets sparrows, starlings and pigeons
goldfinches on the other feeder
robins in the veg garden chasing down worms
dunnocks eat anything so long as its on the ground
flocks of tits moving through the trees eating aphids

and the hedgehogs eating cat crunchies

Also remember that robins are currently in eclipse plumage so are brown all over

Our Robin is still around, complete with very fat and fluffy babies.

We still see robins complete with red chests, on our walks.
Dont remember any tits recently, but loads of sparrows and starlings. Also, a flock of what I think were goldcrests or fire crests. Certainly something with a brilliant flash of yellow on their heads!

Sunflower seeds being put out here. They (the robins and tits) were devouring them. They ignored the mealworms.

@bakedcrisps, the parents may come back because sometimes bluetits have a second brood of babies soon after the first. Not sure about robins.

@bakedcrisps OK, I just did a quick google and robins can have a second brood, usually in July. It isn't guaranteed but they may be back.

oh and try niger seeds if you want goldfinches. They love those!

Robins very definitely have red breasts at the moment in my garden! We put out sunflower seed hearts in hanging feeders and the tits, robins (despite supposedly being ground feeders) and finches love them. The tits also love the fat balls (along with the greedy starlings) - they love the red berry variety best - and peanuts. Mealworms seem to mostly attract starlings. I've tried Niger seeds but they just don't seem to have the same appeal as sunflower seed hearts in my garden. I swear I'm turning into a mad bird lady!!