December and January’s big freeze was as much of a shock for our wildlife as it was for us. Many birds suffer badly during prolonged periods of severe weather: when the ground is frozen hard and covered in snow, it’s the equivalent for lots of species of locking the larder door. Small birds are the first to die, as their lack of body mass makes it difficult for them to maintain their body heat during the long, freezing nights if they have insufficient reserves of body fat.  

Last February’s heavy snow falls had a big impact on goldcrests, our smallest bird, and the number of breeding birds recorded across the UK last spring and summer was well down on previous years. This more recent freeze is likely to make the goldcrest a very scarce bird this coming spring. Other small birds  certain to be badly affected by the freeze include wren, long-tailed tit, coal tit and treecreeper.

In the last 30 years Cetti’s warblers have colonised England, having spread from the Continent. Few are likely to survive this winter, while many Dartford warbler populations will also be wiped out. After the hard winter of 1962/63, only a few dozen birds survived, and it will be surprising if this doesn’t happen again. In recent years these attractive warblers have colonised the Sanderling heaths of the Suffolk coast and have also been suspected of breeding in Thetford Forest. It will be a great shame to lose them, as it will probably be many years before they return. Another rare Suffolk breeding bird that will take a big hit is the delightful bearded tit, a bird restricted chiefly to the reedbeds of Minsmere and Walberswick.

It’s not just small birds that suffer. Green woodpeckers spend most of their time foraging on the ground for ants and grubs, and are unable to survive prolonged freezes. Even woodpigeons struggle to find sufficient food, but the emaciated birds can cause havoc in fields of rape, eating every green shoot they can find.

Sparrowhawks generally do well, as birds weakened by the cold are easier to catch. However, barn owls suffer badly, as mice and voles can move about in tunnels under the crust of snow, and are thus impossible to catch. Many birds react to the freeze by moving: lapwings and golden plover will migrate west in search of unfrozen pastures, and many will end up in Ireland. Kingfishers move downstream, away from frozen lakes and ponds, with many eventually reaching the coast.

Often unusual birds end up in unexpected situations in their search for food. You might well attract yellowhammers and reed buntings to your garden if you put food out, or could even be surprised by the appearance of a snipe or woodcock. If you see anything unusual or which you can’t identity I’m always interested in hearing about it.

It goes without saying that feeding your garden birds is particularly important at times like these. I have several feeders, and all have been busy with hungry customers and have required frequent refills. Crowds of goldfinches have been coming to my niger seed feeders, while hunger has forced robins and blackbirds to try and snatch food from the peanut baskets. The staple I feed is a mixture that contains a high percentage of black sunflowers, a  calorie-rich food that many species like. In addition I also supply water for drinking and bathing, though keeping it ice-free is a major challenge. My free-range bantams hate snow, so they invariably stay inside their chicken house when the ground outside is carpeted with snow. I have been amused to watch a hen blackbird venturing inside the hen house in a bid to share their food.

 David Tomlinson