UKC

I would expect wasps to be at their most prolific at this time of year (Autumn) but haven't seen any for at least a month. Is anyone seeing a similar defecit in wasp numbers? 

they're all round my house buzzing about my apple tree!

We had a wasps' nest at the front of the house this year. It was like Star Wars, the numbers constantly flying in and out. They found a way into the house through the satellite cable, and every day there were twenty or more pacing up and down the inside of the window, an easy target to capture under a glass and release outside, although many, with their ten days of life, died and fell onto the carpet behind the sofa.

Despite my sealing the point up they still came into the front room, in lesser numbers, perhaps through the cord fitting of the sash window, god knows. In the last week or two they've been crawling all over the frosted glass of the front door, presumably in search of a little warmth. I guess if there are frosts they'll soon all pack up and leave, never to return.

It's probably getting late for wasps. There were lots a couple of weeks ago.

But can anyone tell me what's happened to all our blackbirds.  We had so many, it was difficult not to step on them.  Then suddenly none.

Certainly no shortage of them here. Seen plenty of nests over the last couple of months and large numbers on Ivy flowers. Stung twice in October so hoping the little ba$&ards hurry up and die!

I don't think that there are as many, but there has been a nest at work in the skylight area. I found out that my staff had sprayed it, and was cross, as no-one would have been harmed.(High apex roof).

Still been some about, in slow crawling mode, and the cats at work are playing with them...

We had a large (8”) diameter nest in our shed all summer. Left the little chaps to get on with their lives as they made a reasonable anti theft deterrent. The best was abandoned a couple of weeks ago, not seen any wasps In The garden since. Weather has been grim though. 

I found out where all the little feckers that had been buzzing our meals outside all summer had been coming from. 

Whilst fitting a TV booster in the attic yesterday, I found a massive nest tucked behind the chimney breast.  The booster didn't quite get installed where I'd originally planned !

Blackbirds are partially migratory - some of them migrate while others stay put. 

Good to know.  Was worried something had wiped them out.

I think it's possibly down to shit weather. We have a decorative sweet chestnut out front that is a wasp magnet in autumn and in any nice spells in the last few weeks it has seen the usual large numbers.

On blackbirds they are the third most common bird we see around our urban area after pigeons and magpies.

There were loads at Goblin combe when I was there last weekend.  I was worried there was a nest somewhere but I think they were just buzzing around, in and out of the limestone pockets. There was a constant buzz about the place! 

Is it world Magpie day today, or what? I have never seen so many about the place on a single day. They were noticeably numerous when driving about this morning, in both urban and rural areas. What is special about conditions/time of year that had drawn them out?

i've also noticed an absence of blackbirds from my garden since they stopped breeding - after a good breeding year - so maybe more dispersion to find feeding/breeding sites for next year?

the abundance of food at this time of year is prob the main reason you don't see them in your garden?

https://www.birding247.co.uk/where-have-all-your-blackbirds-gone.html

They did have a breeding good year.

It has been a low wasp year due to the dry spring. This resulted in the failure of many nests, they couldn’t feed the brood larvae. There are of course variations around the country but this is the general picture and explanation reported by beekeepers across the UK.

This has made life a lot easier for beekeepers  as wasps can decimate hives in the autumn once they find a colony that doesn’t defend itself well. It made life a lot more pleasant for everyone else too. Although they are marvellous and essential creatures they are a complete pain at times!

Great information Tim. Thank you.  I wondered about the dry spring. It barely rained throughout April and May in my local area although it took weeks for the fields to dry out from the February flooding. Ironically, after posting my message this morning I cycled into the club meet and a wasp had stuck itself to the front of my jacket and was removed by a club mate. I'm also surprised by the amount of blackberries left on the brambles. 

I'd have found a mate with a club to the removing!