Yes - we don't get a lot of bother with leatherjackets - no idea about chafers at all - probably because they don't overwinter very readily. I've noticed more activity this winter probably because it's been the mildest winter I can ever remember. Usually crows/magpies though, which is why I wondered.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I saw Chris Packham's piece last night on Winter-watch where he said how badly the Starling and House Sparrow are doing. So how exactly does the House Sparrow come top every year in the Birdwatch if this is the case, especially with more people contributing every year? The research supposedly done by the various conservation bodies doesn't seem to translate at local level. We've got more House Sparrows now than we've ever had in 40 years (2 nests last year, one of which had 3 broods) and we have 50+ Starlings roosting in our Laurels at the moment.
Yes I know House Sparrows have decreased markedly in London and other cities but that doesn't mean they're now a threatened species. They've just redistributed. What the conservationists never seem to acknowledge is how much their population dramatically increased after the industrial revolution and how it is now simply falling back to the natural size that current nesting opportunities allow. It seems to be all doom & gloom and people like Chris Packham running around with their pants in a bunch
Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
May I ask what bird this is? I took the image in summer and was sure it's a finch, but I'm in doubt now. If that is a sparrow, then we have a lot of them here. We also have here at least 20 if not more starlings. All the birds are opposite in that huge tree, sounds like hundreds of them in the afternoon.
I'd agree with @AnniD , although there looked as if there was a touch of green there, which threw me, but it isn't a greenfinch. How could you not love the noisy, messy wee b*ggers though...
'Dad, we're hungry...DAD!' 'Aye all right...here you are...'
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I did my hour this morning but it was a poor showing from the birds due to the weather. About 30 birds of 9 species but I was having real trouble counting the sparrows as they were mostly hunkered down in the hedge. No sign of the song thrush, bullfinches, coal tits or great tits. Only one blackbird turned up out of the usual 5-10 and only 4 of the usual charm of goldfinches bothered to visit. Only one wood pigeon turned up but then came back with 4 mates once I'd finished. Still data is data and you have to go with what happens in the hour.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
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Usually crows/magpies though, which is why I wondered.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yes I know House Sparrows have decreased markedly in London and other cities but that doesn't mean they're now a threatened species. They've just redistributed. What the conservationists never seem to acknowledge is how much their population dramatically increased after the industrial revolution and how it is now simply falling back to the natural size that current nesting opportunities allow. It seems to be all doom & gloom and people like Chris Packham running around with their pants in a bunch
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
Can certainly identify with that! The little buggers have absolutely trashed my black bamboo. But I still like them
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
We also have here at least 20 if not more starlings. All the birds are opposite in that huge tree, sounds like hundreds of them in the afternoon.
I ♥ my garden.
How could you not love the noisy, messy wee b*ggers though...
'Dad, we're hungry...DAD!'
'Aye all right...here you are...'
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...