Lets hear it for the humble House Sparrow! (1 Viewer)

desgreene · Aug 20, 2004

Just filled up the feeders during a brief break in the continual rain we've had today (and all week) and was soon mobbed by a squabbling flock of House Sparrows. They seem to have done really well this year. From seeing perhaps a dozen at a time when we moved in a couple of years ago, the count is now sometimes upwards of fifty.

Pic attached for those who don't see them any more (some were camera shy so didn't get the full 50)

So lets hear it for the humble Spuggie B

I love em!

Des.

boyinthebush · Aug 20, 2004

Good to hear.
I've got around 12 now that arrive together a couple of times a day and fill their little faces. I'd swear they work it in shifts with the tits |;|

John N · Aug 20, 2004

Great to see that Des. I was beginning to think they had become extinct!

GrahamR · Aug 20, 2004

Good stuff. We only have 2 around at the moment, but on a good day there can be 30+.

pduxon · Aug 20, 2004

doing well now here. By far the most common visitor

scampo · Aug 20, 2004

desgreene said:
Just filled up the feeders during a brief break in the continual rain we've had today (and all week) and was soon mobbed by a squabbling flock of House Sparrows. They seem to have done really well this year. From seeing perhaps a dozen at a time when we moved in a couple of years ago, the count is now sometimes upwards of fifty.

Pic attached for those who don't see them any more (some were camera shy so didn't get the full 50)

So lets hear it for the humble Spuggie B I love em!

Des.

My brother put up an awful lot of communal nest boxes for house sparrows on folk's houses around the town earlier this year to do his bit for sparrow conservation and I have noticed significantly more sparrows locally, so it looks as if he's succeeded. The winter can be a tough time for sparrows, though, so we shall have to see what next spring brings.

pduxon · Aug 20, 2004

23 of the little chaps just turned up - well lost count at 23 as they kept flitting between fences!!

Andrew · Aug 20, 2004

I put out plenty of feed in some coconut shells and around an Azalea bush. I use a 50-50 mix of shelled Sunflowers and Peanut Granules. Often go out into the front garden where the Azalea is and find a huge flock taking off. I believe what we are seeing now is two broods joinging together into one big flock in our gardens.

Just been watching a Coal Tit. It came to the coconut feeder and looked in to find it empty. Hopped onto the top of the post and looked around for a couple of minutes and had another look. Muttered a few things and went back up top before a third look and flying off. Do birds really think their food appears magically from no where?! We get no gratitude at all!

Even garden photography is hard as they are there in tens but when you go out they never come! Here is one of my better efforts. . . .

desgreene · Aug 20, 2004

scampo said:
My brother put up an awful lot of communal nest boxes for house sparrows on folk's houses around the town earlier this year to do his bit for sparrow conservation and I have noticed significantly more sparrows locally, so it looks as if he's succeeded. The winter can be a tough time for sparrows, though, so we shall have to see what next spring brings.

I reckon that now garden bird feeding has become so popular (every other shop sells bird food these days!) they stand an excellent chance of recovering to their former levels.

Des.

desgreene · Aug 20, 2004

Andrew said:
Even garden photography is hard as they are there in tens but when you go out they never come! Here is one of my better efforts. . . .

Perhaps one month they should make the photo competition theme "The Ultimate Sparrow Pic" :h?:

Des.

Andrew · Aug 20, 2004

Good idea as a few BFers might put out more feed to tempt them into photgraphic range!! That would support this year's fledglings!

desgreene · Aug 20, 2004

Andrew said:
Good idea as a few BFers might put out more feed to tempt them into photgraphic range!! That would support this year's fledglings!

And all the people living in areas that are now devoid of House Sparrows will have to go on Sparrow twitches to get a shot to enter

scampo · Aug 20, 2004

Andrew said:
Even garden photography is hard as they are there in tens but when you go out they never come! Here is one of my better efforts. . . .

I'm glad it's just not me that happens to, Andrew. Btw, do they eat the crushed peanuts? I find my peanuts last ages - mainly eaten by the few blue and great tits I attract. In contrast, the finches gollop down the sunflower seeds.

desgreene · Aug 20, 2004

For the Sparrows peanuts seem to come a poor third to mixed seed and sunflower hearts. If it gets too competitive (and you do get some first class scraps!) some end up on the peanuts.

Des.

Mickymouse · Aug 20, 2004

Isn't that strange my sparrows fight over the peanuts and that's with 5 other feeders available which are also popular!

Mick

Andy Ledger · Aug 21, 2004

I have a nut feeder, and the Sparrows are quite adept at winkling out bits of nut. They do seem to prefer loose feed, though.

I've often thought that Sparrows might be more highly regarded if the patterns on their plumage were in colour, instead of looking like an old sepia photograph. As it is, I think they're great. Same with Dunnocks.

scampo · Aug 21, 2004

Goonerbirder said:
... I've often thought that Sparrows might be more highly regarded if the patterns on their plumage were in colour, instead of looking like an old sepia photograph. As it is, I think they're great. Same with Dunnocks.

Ah - I love the little sparrows as they spend the hot day dusting themselves all over. I think Browning had it right...

Home Thoughts from Abroad

Oh, to be in England Now that April's there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brush-wood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England—now!

And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops—at the bent spray's edge—
That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower
—Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!

Andrew · Aug 21, 2004

I switched to a crushed peanut feed for the lawn (Azalea bush) for a long time as it was a cheaper alternative to the sunflower kernels I fed before and they took it readily but I noticed the Chaffinches disappear. I put that down to the breeding dispersal but since mixing the sunflowers and peanuts the Chaffinches and Greenfinches are back so they must prefer sunflower kernels. I have brought sunflowers back in the frame as they got a bit cheaper recently at the pet food shop.

Have you watched a Spuggy try to crack open a whole peanut. They do sometimes do it but it is a hoot watching them. That is why they prefer crushed peanuts.

pauco · Aug 21, 2004

Nice to hear more people are getting good numbers of house sparrows. we get a count of 50+ most days, there are 2 hedges outside our kitchen window, and the noise from their
churping in an afternoon is somthing else. but don't yer just luv em! ps: they prefer sunflower hearts & mixed seed.
bert.

scampo · Aug 21, 2004

Andrew said:
Have you watched a Spuggy try to crack open a whole peanut. They do sometimes do it but it is a hoot watching them. That is why they prefer crushed peanuts.

I read somewhere that it's dangerous to serve whole peanuts when there are young to feed as they can choke on a whole nut. I crushed all the nuts on my in-laws feeder table when I read this! We don't have a table feeder owing to our two cats and a local pair of grey squirrels, although I'm thinking of trying again.

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