up to about 6 months ago we had a pair of nuthatches who visited the garden on a daily basis,we now have not seen one at all,and whether its coincidence or not the amount of sparrows who visit has more than trebled in the last 6 months,correct me if i'm wrong but it wasn't so long ago that sparrows were on the red list.anyone with any comments.thanks maggie
In last years Big Garden Birdwatch, I managed to count 32 sparrows at the same time - this year in the milder weather, I only managed 10. Suffice to say that not many other birds get a look in, other than the cheekier or larger varieties - although the dunnocks do still pick the mess that they leave from the floor, which is useful! While I love the volume of sparrows that visit, bathing in the waterfall and snacking on anything available, I do have to wait for the quieter moments to see much else! Sparrows are definitely not in decline in our garden.
sparrows come 2nd on my list of most popular visitors at presnt,top is gold finches,but i have two feeders out for them one with sunflower hearts the other with niger seed of which most ends up on floor.we do occasionaly see dunnocks clearing up,but most of the mess is cleared up by daily visits from two wood pigeons,and they make excepional waste disposers
I think you must have my sparrows! Somebody must have them! They have just GONE from my garden. For years we have had a static population in the eves of around 7 or 8 but since September they have moved out! Our starling population is incredibly healthy though. We seldom see less than 30-40 in a day, often all at once. One day around the end of November we were amazed to see a huge flock - must have been thousands, you couldn't put a pin between them - in the tree at the bottom of the garden. It was as if they were having a convention! Imagine how my daughter's poor little dog felt at seeing them because he is scared of birds.