Topic: Population explosion - House Sparrows!

[Roy Rob]

I've also noticed the explosion in the House Sparrow populaton in my garden. A welcome sight (and sound) over a few years ago, when there seemed to be only a couple of pairs in the garden.

Over the last 2 weeks I have seen a Kestral regularly fly, at head height, through the garden. Obviously looking for any stragglers. Yesterday the Kestral actually landed on the apex of a neighbours single storey roof extension, 10ft away from the bird feeders and where the sparrows had been feeding. What a noisy warning sound they made too.

One new arrival to my garden has been a flock of Long-tailed Tits, who have become a regular daily feature. This has brought the count of different Tit breeds to visit the garden to 4. They are such a joy to see and hear.

The strangest visitors so-far to the garden, happened earlier this year. When I got up this one morning I found 4 mallard ducks, heads tucked under their wings, having a kip in the middle of the lawn.

With the increase in our garden birdlife populations, one thought that has crossed my mind and no doubt others too. That is, the need to ensure that we continue to regularly feed and supply fresh water for our garden wildlife during this forthcoming winter period. Hopefully this will help to maintain the bird population for next year.

[Val]

All that rain we had yesterday afternoon a magpie was sat in the bird table sheltering from the rain , it was there a good 2 hours. I think it was a young one, it looked like a penguin all huddled up. I felt really sorry for it, although I don't like them taking young birds in the spring. ;D I do wonder if its to do with everyone feeding and putting up sparrow boxes that is helping with their comeback. I like to think so.

[redimp]

I have to confess that whatever nature does does not bother me.  Most things that man does, does.

[wardy]

Here, here RC  :)    I take part in the garden bird survey and sparrows are declining in our area so me and my friends do what we can to bring birds back to our gardens  :)

[GREENWIZARD]

i've also got lots of sparrows,stuckies,woodpigeon & blackies but what's happened to all the tits (blue coal & great).i haven't had any in the garden since last winter

[Garden Manager]

Despite the noise they make they are great to have about. Nearly all of the birds are welcome friends in the garden, though some are a bit like troublesome relatives (hard to live with, cant change them but you'd miss them if they werent there.

Just today i was out trimming our hedges, part of which the sparrows reside in. At one point i could feel the annoyance at being distubed  by the hedge cuuting (an impatient cheeping and whirr of wings every so often). A similar response occurs when the bird feeders need filling!

Does anyone find themselves assigning human characteristics to the birds in their garden or even start chatting to them if there's no one else around? I have to admit i do, especialy to the robins and blackbirds, who are my favorite bird visitors to the garden. Mad or what eh?

[Val]

Glad its not just me then GC. I've only to walk out with the feed box in the morning and they line up on the fence the worse one is the ring collared dove he doesn't just wait he makes an awful screech, just to let the locals know its feed time.Iwalk in muttering huh thought they were supposed to be wild. I just love them though.