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Sparrows in the garden
Apparently there's been a dip in the house sparrow population, but I'm pleased to say there's been no sign of it at my house.
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Gardeners' World Web User
26/06/2008 at 21:16
we havent seen house sparrows for the last five years, but this year the gardens full of the cheeky blighters, good to see them back.
Gardeners' World Web User
26/06/2008 at 21:18
I love house sparrows to0, last year we had some nesting under the tiles on the edge of the roof. I've noticed more in our garden this year, and yesterday I emptied the bird feeders and filled them with Bill Oddies seed mix aimed at attracting sparrows it worked. I came home at dinner time to see sparrows tucking in. To think back to childhood and feeding the birds the bigger percentage was sparrows in our garden and we loved it if we saw a blue tit, black cap, green finch or wow if you saw a bullfinch that was amazing but now I have more visiting blue tits, black caps than sparrows. Another little bird I love is the dunnock - it works so hard to find food for its young in and out the borders it never takes anything we put out, they just collect tiny beak fulls from the garden. They're nested in the hedge next to the conservatory last year and they have this, they're feeding young now. It's scary to think what it will be like at the bird feeders in 20 years time.
Gardeners' World Web User
26/06/2008 at 23:02
Pippa is very lucky to have so many sparrows in her garden. This is a bird that does not visit my small patch very often. Starlings are also in decline. Both starlings and sparrows were common sights not so many years ago. This goes to emphasise how much we all need to care for birds and wildlife. Stop using chemicals, plant wildlife friendly plants. If you only have room for a few, go for it! As a famous supermarket woudl say, "every little helps."
Gardeners' World Web User
27/06/2008 at 10:32
I'm always reduced to fits of jealousy when I visit my parents down in Devon because their garden is like Charing Cross for birds - they're always coming and going!! More specifically, they have a fantastic population of house sparrows who visit - one time I'm sure there were upwards of 10 pairs all at once! But recently, I've spotted a house sparrow pair visiting my own garden in the suburbs of SE London which I'm so pleased about and I've now ordered a house sparrow colony box from Garden Bird Supplies (brilliant web site, their bird food is good value and nutritious and they're all really friendly!) so hopefully they might take up permanent residence :-)
Gardeners' World Web User
28/06/2008 at 15:02
We Live in the centre of Aylesbury and our garden is a hive of activity. Black birds, Blue and Great tits Black caps. Starling doves and wood pigeons we even had a nest of Wrens We even get the odd visitor such as a Jay and a Sparrow hark the feeders are always busy we use no pesticides in the garden as the birds do a really good job. As for sparrows there are lots and spend a lot of time in the hedge and on the feeders a neighbour has Sparrows nesting in the ivy which grows against their house.
Gardeners' World Web User
28/06/2008 at 15:57
Been in the garden all day until a good downpour stopped me. whilst out there I noticed sparrows taking nesting material under the end tile again, like last year, so it looks like they may make it there permanent summer residence hopefully. Also noticed lots of different bees about which is very nice because we've planted lots of things to atract them so I think thats worked. Also something very strange whilst weeding I've come across loads of carrot seedlings in pots, boarders, edge of the pond and between the block paving, I've never planted a carrot in my life so this is a mystery to us. Anyone with any thoughts on this?
Gardeners' World Web User
28/06/2008 at 18:01
i have loads of birds visiting my garden, sparrows- blackbirds- thrushes- bluetits -greatits-starlings-goldfinches -greenfinches to mention a few, we sit in our conservatory for hours enjoying watching them taking the food we put out for them--- it's better than watching the telly.
Gardeners' World Web User
29/06/2008 at 18:45
Please, please, can any one help!!! My garden is being ruined by MOLES. At first the lawn then the flower beds now the vegetable patch my favourite bit of heaven .The purple sprouting broccoli really is sprouting. Never felt so murderous before. the war is on but do not know how to win! Please help.
Gardeners' World Web User
30/06/2008 at 09:08
This year we have tried to encourage birds into our garden, although we live in the city centre. Black sunflowers and peanuts seem to be the favourites with blue and great tits. We even had a coal tit and black cap. Sparrows are nesting in our roof for the 3rd year running. We have lots of starlings which we have named "the brat pack" for obvious reasons. They are quite a formidable sight on mass. We have noticed that our apple tree looks healthier this year, possibly due to attaching the bird feeders on the tree. Therefore the birds eat any insects or grubs that might attack the tree and you have a great form of pest control!
Gardeners' World Web User
30/06/2008 at 09:28
never seen as many sparrows as this year cant keep the feeders full! and its not just sparrows sat out in the arbour till 11 last night listening to the blackbirds wonderful.
Gardeners' World Web User
30/06/2008 at 12:12
I too have noticed an increase often i have as many as 30 of them feeding at my hanging feeders. There is a saying that "he doesn't eat enough to keep a sparrow alive" obviously who ever said this has never seen the ones in my garden they will completely empty 2 four station feeders in a day. It is very good to have thm back even though they keep me poor feeding them.
Gardeners' World Web User
30/06/2008 at 12:19
Loads of sparrows and starlings in this new garden of mine - though I miss the varieties I could see in my previous garden I still find great enjoyment in watching the antics of the visitors - magpies enjoy soaking crusts of bread in the bird-bath to make them soft enough to eat and give short shrift to the Herring Gulls who try to muscle in on 'their' bread! The Gulls nest and roost on the neighbouring house roofs so can always see when there is anything they might like to steal from the smaller birds and I swear that one of them is trying to learn to hover in order to take stuff from the birdtable! He tries all ways to get at the food and seems to study all angles that might work! Speaking of Gulls - does anyone else watch them as they paddle their feet- like demented Irish dancers- in order to (I presume) bring worms to the surface to feed on ? The fact that they turn their back on you when they see you watching then carry on 'paddling' looks as if they are embarrassed to be seen doing it.
Gardeners' World Web User
30/06/2008 at 12:53
I don't know if this will be of interest to anybody, but I have had bird feeders in my garden for many years now and kept them toped up as soon as they were empty, once a week I would clean away any seed left on the ground and wash everything down.

Just recently when the feeders have been empty and I have been working in the garden I have left the topping up, but the birds still come and clear up all that has been dropped, so from now on when the feeders are empty I will leave them for a day or so and have less to throw away at the end of the week.

Gardeners' World Web User
30/06/2008 at 13:33
Our 'brat pack' is not the starlings, but a family of jackdaws who have found our feeders in the last 24 hours. Too big for them and not quite sure how to use them, they are setting the whole lot swinging, emptying seed onto the ground for the dunnocks and doves! This is the first time I've seen them go for the hanging feeders.
Gardeners' World Web User
30/06/2008 at 15:43
I couldn't agree more about Sparrows. They are cute, they always start chirping when I go out to feed them, and they will insist on trying to have a bath in the saucers of my potted Pitcher plants which means squeezing between pot & saucer! Obviously 6 bird baths just aren't enough. It's amazing what colourful little creatures they become when they are fed on decent seed for a length of time. They are certainly not the dowdy little birds that a lot of people think they are. This fact applies to all the birds, and I have to say that once they are used to your feeding stations, you can throw away pesticides etc. for good, which has to be good for the environment & our pockets. Better to spend the money on birdseed and get free entertainment into the bargain. Long live birds!
Gardeners' World Web User
30/06/2008 at 16:17
I've found that starlings love berry suet!
Gardeners' World Web User
30/06/2008 at 20:52
Hi, I only have a back yard but i have filled it up with plants and fruit trees. I also have a bird feeder and water for the birds. I put seeds out for the birds but none come into my back yard could anyone give me any help to attract birds to my yard. I have a bluetits nestbox up and a sparrows nest box but no luck. many thanks
Gardeners' World Web User
30/06/2008 at 21:16
South wales has held up as far as sparrow populations are concerned and for many years they were just "there" as they decline in numbers elsewhere. I've taken stock they are not just little raucous brown jobs but if you really stop and look they have really subtle colour and are as charming as any so i hope the awareness of how marvellous our own patch can be as fostered by springwatch and rspb etc halts their decline. You londoners rebel - reclaim your cockney sparrers back. I saw hundreds feeding from the hands of delighted people in st jamses park in the 70s. Put up your sparrow towers and they will come!
Gardeners' World Web User
01/07/2008 at 08:51
I've seen more birds in the garden this year than for many years. I have invested in a "Sonic Cat Scarer" from B&Q. The bonus is that I no longer have scorched plants where the cats used to leave their mark, nor disgusting , half-hidden piles in the soil. I think cats, together with the proliferation of magpies, who eat young chicks, contribute to the decline in the bird population.
Gardeners' World Web User
01/07/2008 at 08:53
I've seen more birds in the garden this year than for many years. I have invested in a "Sonic Cat Scarer" from B&Q. The bonus is that I no longer have scorched plants where the cats used to leave their mark, nor disgusting, half-hidden piles in the soil. I think cats, together with the proliferation of magpies, who eat young chicks, contribute to the decline in the bird population.
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