Where have all the blackbirds gone ?

I read a worrying item last week that blackbirds are struggling.

My birds are only just beginning to forgive me and returning to the feeders. 

As I was sitting outside enjoying Rob Rinder’s third, and excellent, novel, “The Protest”, several regulars returned. Coal tit, blue tit, starling, and a couple of blackbirds. My loyal Robin wasn’t around.

One theory about the blackbirds is that, as they are ground feeders, they are often forgotten as enthusiasts fill hanging feeders and bird tables and forget to put stuff on the ground. 

I’m always careful to spread mealworms, small peanuts and sunflower hearts at the base of the hanging ones. I hope I’m doing my bit.