Where has the wildlife gone

[NCForTheBirds]

Woke up this morning. The swallows were all out, drinking and chattering on the fence. The partridges have been around all summer, the hares as they walk through the garden. Every day we see the wildlife coming and going.

Then this afternoon, the high heat of the day, just nothing. Silence. This evening, no chattering birds, no evening song. No seagulls flying overhead to the reservoir and no rabbits in the fields nibbling before nightfall.

Today it seems the wildlife has vanished. Is this just here? South Midlands. I can only think the dryness and heat has made the swallows move further west before the autumn migration. But it is eerily silent today.

I would imagine they’re all sat in the shade.

I haven't seen as many birds during the day as usual. I think they're all sitting under a hedge somewhere, in the shade!

Same here, nothing. Mind you my cats are nowhere to be seen during the day either.
My pond which is a hot spot for wildlife is dry. We haven't yet got a hose pipe ban yet so I did fill it up as there isn't another pond locally (its only small) so i think I can be forgiven. I've put rocks in it so wildlife can get in and out and it doesn't hold as much water.

They’re all asleep underground or anywhere they can find that’s cool and shady.

They lie low and take shelter in the shade under hedges as far as i dan tell. Lots of scuttling noises in the garden at times. It's too hot for them poor things, must be an oven up in the sky.

I saw some birds very late in the day drinking water from our pond - usually they do it all throughout the day but no activity until well gone past 7PM.

I haven't noticed the silence until I read your post OP! You are so right, it's been quiet today.

That's not how swallows work though. Rabbits grant you. Swallows have been here decades and never leave until September. To Africa where it is hotter.

Before they go, you get the chatter, and then you know they are preparing. Not today, just nothing from mid morning.

I've definitely noticed less birdsong , probably the heat making them hide in the shade

Keep on filling ponds, leaving dishes of water out. If you can't use a hosepipe, rope people in to help fill it manually (or put a little water in under cover of darkness- I'm sure I'll be slated for saying this though).

Your ponds are absolutely the difference between life and death for hundreds or maybe thousands of animals, insects and birds. There's a huge difference morally - if not legally - between using a hosepipe to wash a car or to fill a kids or dogs paddling pool than there is using one to put some water into a pond to help wildlife and feral cats survive this hot dry summer.

Even in a hosepipe ban, you are allowed to put water out in the garden.

Because you have to carry it in containers/watering cans, then you’re bound to use far less than a 15l per min hose. Clean water for wildlife is important.

Well the squirrels are out stealing pears off my pear tree. I’m sure in the late afternoon just like me they are laying low due to the heat. I took this picture a couple of days ago at 8am.