Forum home› Talkback
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Talkback: Sparrows in the garden

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
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.
«1345

Posts

  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    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 UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    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 UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    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 UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    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 UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    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 UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    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 UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    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 UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    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 UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    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 UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    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.
Sign In or Register to comment.