Where have all the Wood Pigeons gone?

The weather all autumn and winter was remarkably mild and pretty dry. Hedgerows were full of fruit well into the new year and insects have been abundant throughout.
Coot and Moorhen
Both species were in record numbers. This winter the Coots stayed on the farm whereas in all previous winters the majority have moved away, probably to Chichester Gravel Pits.
Ducks
Mallard have been present in good numbers throughout and many are now paired up. Numbers of tufted duck and Teal built up to a five year high after Christmas but whereas the Tufted Duck were almost invariably concentrated in the farm reservoir, Teal popped up from each and every river, ditch, pond, or scrape. For some reason the scrapes in the meadows only started attracting wildfowl in significant numbers from January onwards.
Raptors
Buzzard was again the most frequently seen raptor; always singles and usually in the brooks. Kestrel sightings were slightly down but Sparrowhawks, although still the least common, were up.
Game Birds
Pheasant numbers were very high until mid-November when they suddenly collapsed. This may have been because of natural dispersal after the stubble had been ploughed in or from shooting.
Snipe
There was a single Snipe on most visits, by the Rife. it is thought that this same bird is seen in the same place every winter.
Wood Pigeon
Wood Pigeon numbers were exceptionally low. As well as thw early loss of stubble, they certainly missed the vetch crop which bolstered their numbers throughout much of last winter.
Woodpeckers
Green Woodpecker numbers remained high but Greater Spotted Woodpeckers were less in evidence being mainly seen in copses bordering the brooks. With plenty of insects around they do not seem to have visited garden feeders so much this winter.
Winter Thrushes
Despite the abundance of hedgerow fruits Fieldfare and Redwing numbers were low on Sefter Farm. In contrast, Marsh Farm at Binstead has had many Fieldfare all winter but a similar paucity of Redwing.
Skylark
Large numbers concentrated in the Rhubarb up to January but most had dispersed off the farm by February. The Rhubarb continued to attract other species such as Black-headed Gulls, Fieldfare, and most of the few Lapwings and Starlings.
Small Resident Species
Most of the small residents seemed in good numbers; with insectivores on the whole doing better than seed eaters. One or possibly two Chiffchaffs stayed on to winter quite happily in the hedge between fields two and four.

Where have all the Wood Pigeons gone?

The weather all autumn and winter was remarkably mild and pretty dry. Hedgerows were full of fruit well into the new year and insects have been abundant throughout.

Coot and Moorhen

Both species were in record numbers. This winter the Coots stayed on the farm whereas in all previous winters the majority have moved away, probably to Chichester Gravel Pits.

Ducks

Raptors

Buzzard was again the most frequently seen raptor; always singles and usually in the brooks. Kestrel sightings were slightly down but Sparrowhawks, although still the least common, were up.

Game Birds

Pheasant numbers were very high until mid-November when they suddenly collapsed. This may have been because of natural dispersal after the stubble had been ploughed in or from shooting.

Snipe

There was a single Snipe on most visits, by the Rife. it is thought that this same bird is seen in the same place every winter.

Wood Pigeon

Wood Pigeon numbers were exceptionally low. As well as thw early loss of stubble, they certainly missed the vetch crop which bolstered their numbers throughout much of last winter.

Woodpeckers

Green Woodpecker numbers remained high but Greater Spotted Woodpeckers were less in evidence being mainly seen in copses bordering the brooks. With plenty of insects around they do not seem to have visited garden feeders so much this winter.

Winter Thrushes

Despite the abundance of hedgerow fruits Fieldfare and Redwing numbers were low on Sefter Farm. In contrast, Marsh Farm at Binstead has had many Fieldfare all winter but a similar paucity of Redwing.

Skylark

Large numbers concentrated in the Rhubarb up to January but most had dispersed off the farm by February. The Rhubarb continued to attract other species such as Black-headed Gulls, Fieldfare, and most of the few Lapwings and Starlings.

Small Resident Species

Most of the small residents seemed in good numbers; with insectivores on the whole doing better than seed eaters. One or possibly two Chiffchaffs stayed on to winter quite happily in the hedge between fields two and four.