During summer and especially in August, birds seem to disappear so birdwatching doesnt seem like a very fruitful activity, but a persistent birdwatcher can still be rewarded by some wonderful, yet fleeting sights.

Birds dont really abandon us in summer. This is the time when they have just started breeding and once thats completed, their feathers begin to molt. During molting, their feathers are not as strong, so they stay in their nests to avoid predators.

It is also during this time when food like grain, fruit and berries begin to ripen. Birds like song thrushes and blackbirds move out to where natural food is present and so are less interested in the readily available food that people leave for them.

In farmlands, birds fly to the grainfields to eat the grain just before harvest time. This temporary evacuation makes people think that birds have disappeared totally, when in fact they have just gone out to eat.

In the cities, finches and sparrows can be found on the ground where they might be feasting on weed seeds. Birds like tits leave their nests after their chicks fledge and then spend time perched high in the trees, where people normally dont see them. Birds return to their usual places when frost begins to appear in autumn. A lot of birdwatchers miss the singing during summer. Birds sing in spring and in the early days of summer to defend their territory. It is also the time to attract a mate. In June, the chicks leave the nest so the adults no longer need to protect their territory and we no longer hear them sing.

To find birds in summer, an avid birdwatcher will need keen eyes. For some birds, theres no need to look far bluebirds, swallows, robins and house wrens make their homes quite comfortably among us.

To find where a bird makes its nest, observe where it flies with the nesting materials. Leave items like yarn, pieces of cloth or cotton in your yard for them to pick up.

It is also important to know what birds can be found in your locality and where they make their nests. A responsible birdwatcher knows that he is there to observe only and enjoy the birds while letting them be.

Most birds nest in late May or early June. Some of them may have their homes in the ground or on shrubs so be careful when you walk about since you might disturb them unnecessarily and scare them away.

There seems to be fewer birds in summer, but with a little patience and some skill, birdwatching can still be enjoyed.