RE Ian Walker’s letter about disappearing blackbirds (HAS, Oct 23). In the early spring of this year male blackbirds were, as usual, in plentiful supply, sparring for territory in and around the garden.

From late summer onwards the decline in their numbers, both male and female, has been such that there are now none to be seen. Not a dicky bird. During the 39 years my wife and I have lived at Evenwood Gate, blackbirds have always been in residence, most years raising their fat broods in the gardens (last year a pair built three separate nests and successfully raised four broods in our garden).

Throstles also were always present in smaller numbers, and during the past five or six years so too the storm-cock: but now they are gone and the garden is silent. Is there cause for their decline? Does anybody know?

W Akers, Evenwood Gate, near Bishop Auckland.

LIKE correspondent Ian Walker (HAS, Oct 23) I am also wondering where the blackbirds have gone. Up to Monday this week I hadn’t seen one in my garden for more than three weeks.

Some were quite tame and always appeared as soon as I had put their food on the bird table.

I do, however, see two magpies in my garden on most days. I suspect they may be the culprits.

Patricia de Hennessy,