The RSPB is the UK’s biggest nature preservation charity, safeguarding environments, conserving types, and assisting to end the nature and environment emergency situation. This month, RSPB specialist Charlotte Ambrose describes what’s happening with our garden birds in August, how you can help them and some suggestions on what to identify whilst you’re out and about.
I lead a group of remarkable individuals who address the numerous various wildlife queries which enter into RSPB HQ every day. We get asked all way of things and especially like hearing what our fans area in their gardens – there’s some unexpected sightings! But in August, there’s constantly one concern which controls our calls: “What has happened to my garden birds?”
After the stress of the breeding season, when your garden yard has actually been supplying an all-day buffet for birds and the feeders never ever remain complete for long – this month does appear strangely peaceful.
But it’s normally typical and absolutely nothing to stress over! It’s a mix of aspects, the very first being that birds moult at this time of year. After the busy spring months, they take a while out to renew their used and damaged plumes which leaves them susceptible to predators and requiring to save energy, so they tend to remain more concealed than typical.
There are likewise much more health food resources at this time of year. Starlings and sparrows might have switched your garden for a farmer’s field, either delighting in the grain prior to harvest or getting what’s been spilt later on. Blackbirds and other thrushes are most likely maximizing the bounty of fruit, such as the berries ripening on hedgerows.
As well as these modifications, around half of our birds are migratory and the birds who showed up in early spring to breed are preparing yourself to leave quickly. Some truly early risers like cuckoos have actually already gone, however those more familiar faces discovered in our areas, such as swallows and house martins, are definitely getting ready for their long flights south.
How to help garden birds in August
Despite the bounty of berries, seeds and fruit around, it’s still a good concept to put out some food for birds. It will help advise them where to come when natural deposits are more limited and it might offer a lifeline for any moulting birds who are hiding in or near your garden and attempting to save energy. Just keep quantities little to avoid it ruining in hot or wet weather condition and keep in mind to still tidy feeders weekly, utilizing a moderate cleaning agent.
A source of fresh water supplies a beverage for birds however likewise someplace to shower which is important for birds to keep their plumes tidy. It’s specifically valued on hot days.
You can make a garden more bird-friendly with your planting – one with lots of shrubs, hedging and trees is constantly inviting for birds, supplying some shade (or cover from the rain!) in addition to a food source with their berries and fruits.
Being a little less neat in the garden likewise assists. Leaving the yard a bit longer draws in pests and provides birds such as starlings and blackbirds cover as they feed, whilst some seedheads are terrific for birds like goldfinches – and can include some architectural interest as flowers start to subside.
Bird decreases in the UK
Whilst we understand that birds go peaceful over this month, we are extremely worried about the variety of birds vanishing from our skies for good each year. Since the 70s, we’ve lost 38 million birds and with included obstacles from things such as bird influenza, these decreases are aggravating. There are great deals of things you can do however, from making your garden more wildlife-friendly to getting associated with neighborhood jobs or offering for a nature charity. Take an appearance at our website for additional information: rspb.org.uk
August birdwatching suggestions
If you’re heading to the beach this month, capture the last of our stunning seabirds prior to they head back out to sea for the remainder of the year. Gannets have a long breeding season so you might still see them at websites such as RSPB Bempton Cliffs in East Yorkshire, RSPB South Stack on Anglesey and RSPB Troup Head in Aberdeenshire, which have remarkable gannet nests. They are a few of our fastest birds in totally free fall – embeding their wings and diving into the sea at speeds of as much as 60mph to capture fish. These big, excellent birds offer a genuine phenomenon!
I constantly feel a little unhappiness biding farewell to our summertime migratory birds. But I advise myself to be grateful for the satisfaction they’ve offered over the summer season, from the remarkable aerial aerobatics of swifts to the uplifting noises of chiffchaff on my summertime strolls. So keep in mind to search for whilst you’re out in the area and keep an eye out for swallows and house martins set down on telegraph wires, gathering together in great deals as they make their last preparations prior to their extraordinary journeys.
In the countryside, take a couple of minutes when walking past an arable field to see the number of types you can identify. You’ll most likely see varieties of crows and geese and might identify farmland experts such as yellowhammer. These offer a wonderful flash of gold with their yellow heads and breasts and have a distinct tune, typically referred to as “a little bit of bread and no cheese” – the cheese part a longer, greater note from the rest. You might likewise obviously, area some a lot more familiar faces – those garden birds you’ve been so worried about!
Avian influenza
We’ve likewise received concerns about bird influenza and issues that this might be contributing to the seasonal low numbers. Currently, the illness is being reported in types not typically discovered in gardens, so we don’t think there’s any link. Avian influenza is nevertheless having terrible results on our seabird populations for the 2nd summertime in a row – birds like black-headed gulls, gannets, kittiwakes and terns. It’s a scenario we continue to keep an eye on carefully. You can learn more on our website here: rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/disease-and-garden-wildlife/avian-influenza-updates
