General Chat

The feathered variety? We had, until a week ago, a large flock of about 20 sparrows feeding on the bird feeders in our garden at least twice a day and roosting in the Pyracanthus hedge. We also had a robin, a blackbird, about 20+ starlings and a couple of collared doves, a couple of wood pigeons and a wren. We then had a sparrow hawk visit the garden, not sure if he/she caught anything. since then we have had a couple of starlings, the wren and a blackbird feeding in the garden and that is all. I know they use hawks to scare off pigeons but they return after a while. Does anyone know if this is what happened with the sparrows and do you think theyw ill return at some stage? has anyone experienced anything like this at all? Ann Glos

Do'nt worry to much they will return birds tend to stay away from sites were there is a known danger. but once the threat has gone they come back (Slowly). The problem is that at this time of year Birds of Pray follow the flocks so you could have a return visit later.

Thanks Peter, that is more or les what we thought. it is uncanny without them though and the feeders were all full too. Ann Glos

we had a couple of jays and a robin, amongst others, and they all left because of the cats. with a bit of coaxing with fatty food they soon came back though.

I was just going to say that i'm a bird - to clarify things!!! I don't know very much about the feathered variety though!! Jack xx

once again... LMAO Jack I was somewhat disappointed to see you say "the feathered variety".. I've spent best part of my life observing the other type lol

I know that Twickenham Rugby Stadium hire a bloke to bring a sparrowhawk (or maybe a falcon, I can't remember) to fly round the stadium about once a week. This is to scare off other birds, especially pigeons, so that when excitable types like Strump & me visit we don't have to worry about birdsh*t on our seats. We live near a small river and the other day I looked out of my window and thought my neigbbour had gone mad with a wierd new aerial - close inspection with binoculars revealed it was a bloody great heron! We've also had ducks & canada geese, but sparrows seem quite rare these days. nell

Thanks all of you for your input on this ----especially paul!!!! I put 'feathered variety' so your BP wouldn't go up too much!! Lol!!! Ann glos

Has anyone noticed the sudden reduction in the number of starlings around? They are migratory birds, but for the last few years seemed to stay through the winter due to the mild conditions. This year they have all boned off to sunnier climes, apart from a few stragglers! My own personal belief is that this is an indicator of a harder winter than we are used to. And of course another sign of that is the large number of berries on the Holly trees etc!

Sparrows and Starlings are in sharp decline and will soon be endangered birds. The Starling population has dropped by about 70% . this is probably due to lack/loss of nesting sites and better farming practices with less waste of grain. (Did an essay for my degree about this problem in the summer.) Contact RSPB for information about how you can help the populations recover. Viv

All species of garden bird tend to flock together and move around good feeding stations en-mass. It is a case of many pairs of eyes looking out for each other. In my garden, I have a few permanent residents. When all the visitors, finches, sparrows have moved on to fresh fields, the residents "go home" to their roosting places until the mob returns. I have seen a whole collection of the small species mobbing a predator. Len

This year I made my back garden in to a wild life one. built a pond made bolt holes for every thing, bird feeders, nest boxes,replanted with bird freindly plants. the works. I have lost count how meny kinds of birds now visit. and had severel mamales as well Fox, Headge hog ( still see it when warm) and Filed mice.

Ann - do you know Swan Walk in Monmouth, a little cobbled lane off Church Walk or Street, which is also cobbled - last year l wast standing outside a shop there and a Sparrowhawk flew down onto an ivy bush and he flew off with a Sparrow in his claws, it all happened so quick, l could'nt believe my eyes -:o(( Peter - l would love to do that with my garden - today l was looking at some Dormouse houses, butterfly feeding stand, tree creeper hideaways, squirrel boxes all sorts of other boxes and stands - Bug boxes (which l have), lt's a must to go back there in the New yr:o)) jude sarf wales