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My nieghbours noticed it first but I was still getting a good mixture of birds on my feeders but know I have to admit they are just not around any more.
count this morning is 1 robin, 1 pidgin, 1 magpie,10 sparrows and 1 starling. yes just 1 starling when there is usually up to 20 at a time.
I do like to think that it's because there is a lot of natural food around and they don't need my offerings
what do you lot think?
marg
ps Do frogs usually croak loudly in the early hours this time of year? I'v never noticed it before, I'm sure they only do it in the spring

I should think it is because there is a lot of natural food around you Marg.  Some years I have been like that and very few birds around.  I have a few this year, msut say,  lot of tits which is a change for me.  I have the chaffinches in great numbers and the usual pigeons, collared and woodies.  I see and hear and Robins but my blackbirds are not up to their usual numbers yet.  I can have up to 10 visit.  I have started buying the raisons though for the onset of Winter to fee the blackies.  I had the Grey Heron visit me at lunchtime today.  I thought oh here we go.  I have hundreds of fish int he pond.  all little tiddlers so bet Mr Heron took note for another visit.  He could open his mouth and get a feed in one go.  Mind you, they may just dive to the bottom. 

;D

I still get about 12 different species of birds every day at the moment but hopefully this will double in the winter months. The biggest change over the last three or so weeks is the virtual disappearance of Siskins from about 15 at a time every day down to maybe 1 every other day. Also the Greater Spotted Woodpecker has not been around for some time. However the numbers are made up by about 50 House Sparrows and about 20 goldfinches at a time.
I hope that the change in Siskin numbers is because they have found a good source of natural food but that they will return when that is finished.

I notice my siskins have gone as well  toadspawn, but big surprise last week when a Brambling appeared with a flock of chaffinches.  I normally do not see them or January.  I hope this isn't a sign of a Bad winter ahead. 

Most of the birds have returned with the colder weather. I think it's a good year for leatherjackets as I have seen a lot of starling "working " grassy area's so no wonder they don't want my scraps :)
I was surprised to see a great tit land on the water dish on the feeder and fussily remove 2 leaves before it had a drink :) I thought thats why they didn't come, my gardens too messy for them ;D
marg

we are still visited by hundreds of birdies (garden backs onto cemetery) but I have noticed a couple of coal-tits visiting for the first time this autumn

Saw and heard three jays in the garden yesterday. I have never heard them before - actually it was the cat who heard them first!
And I have never seen three together before - is that unusual?

I envy you the the sweet little robins..ours are as big as starlings with orange rusty breasts, it just doesn't have the same feel..but we had a large pileated woodpecker a few days ago which is rare in a garden. The pine siskins are very low here and have been for a number of years, apparently there was some concern about them,many were dying off. We have seen some but not flocks like we used to get. Could that problem have crossed the pond I wonder.

XX Jeannine

Depressing news about birds from RHS:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/News/Garden-birds-threat

I've seen several chaffinches and goldfinches with this disease this year. But they must have died because the last sick one I saw was several weeks ago.

I was delighted to see 'my' blackcap on the bird bath yesterday and the yellow wagtail, who loves my pond, has returned too. There are also at least two coal tits visiting the bird feeders again.

Tricia

Tin Shed that's more a lucky sighting than unusual.  I'd like to see just one now and again!