tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post6929570775028469984..comments2023-11-27T06:32:36.077+00:00Comments on Hedgeland Tales: SparrowJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14873306254026879892noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-79999588703573179512012-08-13T20:04:16.468+01:002012-08-13T20:04:16.468+01:00Hi Bazza,
As with all things we take for granted, ...Hi Bazza,<br />As with all things we take for granted, we don't realise it until they are gone!<br />JJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14873306254026879892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-25047641793300568552012-08-13T20:03:37.568+01:002012-08-13T20:03:37.568+01:00Thanks Jan, let's hope the sparrow makes a com...Thanks Jan, let's hope the sparrow makes a comeback, but I have now read that the starling is disappearing in huge numbers, 40 million have just vanished in Europe in the last year!?<br />JJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14873306254026879892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-24425733934110341672012-08-12T12:57:53.582+01:002012-08-12T12:57:53.582+01:00Just popped back to say thank you for sparking suc...Just popped back to say thank you for sparking such a lively discussion John. It was interesting to read all the comments and your knowledgeable replies. Let's hope the House Sparrow will eventually find its way back to the numbers we used to see,ShySongbirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08148381873578585910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-73057893366351256752012-08-11T16:40:55.160+01:002012-08-11T16:40:55.160+01:00We took them for granted but now it's areal jo...We took them for granted but now it's areal joy to see a sparrow. Have seen only one in our garden this year!<br /><b><a href="http://todiscoverice.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow"> Click here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’</a></b>bazzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14794010156639774028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-58976382034140024342012-08-10T07:16:38.627+01:002012-08-10T07:16:38.627+01:00It is very shocking Roy. They are still far from r...It is very shocking Roy. They are still far from rare, but the large flocks, as you say, are a thing of the past.<br />JJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14873306254026879892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-825267039900354082012-08-10T07:15:55.646+01:002012-08-10T07:15:55.646+01:00You are more than welcome to John! :)
My Mum and D...You are more than welcome to John! :)<br />My Mum and Dad have large numbers coming into their garden, but a friend of theirs who lives a few doors away has none, the population is that disjointed now.<br />JJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14873306254026879892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-81292862719859193922012-08-10T07:14:41.365+01:002012-08-10T07:14:41.365+01:00Hi Lisa,
Very shocking and sobering, hopefully som...Hi Lisa,<br />Very shocking and sobering, hopefully something can be done to halt the decline.<br />The quote sort of sums up my opinions, so I thought that I would put it on my side bar.<br />JJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14873306254026879892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-19879600779167189242012-08-10T07:13:31.315+01:002012-08-10T07:13:31.315+01:00Yes, holes are blocked up and places tidied, but a...Yes, holes are blocked up and places tidied, but as I said in my reply to Jan (above), the birds are still breeding at a frenetic rate (as you have seen in your garden), the young are just not making it to adulthood for whatever reason.<br />It's shocking that such a common bird can be placed on the red list by the RSPB.<br />JJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14873306254026879892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-14511649019118146212012-08-10T07:11:03.864+01:002012-08-10T07:11:03.864+01:00Hi John,
I think some of the problem is the fact t...Hi John,<br />I think some of the problem is the fact that a lot of houses don't have 'gardens' any more. A lot of people have had their front lawn block-paved over and also are very keen on insecticides and herbicides, neither of which help invertebrate populations which crosses over to sparrow populations.<br />JJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14873306254026879892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-75762543008772018572012-08-10T07:08:48.868+01:002012-08-10T07:08:48.868+01:00Thanks Jan,
It is amazing how such simple things b...Thanks Jan,<br />It is amazing how such simple things become so thrilling.<br />Apparently breeding has increased in the last 40 years, it is really the fall in young birds reaching adulthood that is causing the fall in numbers. I am sure that the 'tidying' up of houses and UPVC fascias etc have some effect on the bird. A report in 1987 from a Bedfordshire village showed that 30% of mortality was due to cats. I don't think we will find out the true cause for a while.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14873306254026879892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-88946327685568550162012-08-10T00:48:38.386+01:002012-08-10T00:48:38.386+01:00Its shocking how their numbers have reduced over t...Its shocking how their numbers have reduced over the years John. <br />The days of seeing big flocks on a hedgerow are long gone.Royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14669756911857727253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-31963771542652390772012-08-09T18:16:48.285+01:002012-08-09T18:16:48.285+01:00I'll have to 'export' a few of mine Jo...I'll have to 'export' a few of mine John. They have been breeding prolifically here.Midmarsh Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10980417659811194899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-90655799565836634832012-08-09T07:12:04.541+01:002012-08-09T07:12:04.541+01:00That's really sad to hear about the sparrow. ...That's really sad to hear about the sparrow. I had no idea. Your little guy is quite charming anyway. I love that quote you have at the side by Chief Seattle, I remember it, but seeing it is good.Lisabella Russohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12621662488987992112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-12585347276673452112012-08-08T22:57:17.858+01:002012-08-08T22:57:17.858+01:00updated the blog on the sparrow did not realise it...updated the blog on the sparrow did not realise its on the RSPB red list.wildaboutwaleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03108245713567134230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-81818663930340184052012-08-08T22:21:14.744+01:002012-08-08T22:21:14.744+01:00one of the reasons the house sparrow is disappeari...one of the reasons the house sparrow is disappearing is because we are filling in every hole in our houses all the old buildings are being renovated to todays specifications of what seems to stop us living in droughts, not to worry the birds in my garden have almost doubled this year do not forget the sparrow is one of our birds who can and do have up to three clutches in the year I have had young in my garden since last march. and today there are a few young ones on the feeder being fed by the parents.here you can see a youngster trying to get a beak full from a juvenile blackbird.<br />http://wildaboutwales.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/back-again.htmlwildaboutwaleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03108245713567134230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-56655667387299322682012-08-08T21:28:02.574+01:002012-08-08T21:28:02.574+01:00I pay close attention when I walk through my villa...I pay close attention when I walk through my village and it seems that the only gardens where this little fellow is thriving are those that are very untidy and overgrown. They also seem to like the allotments, but not the manicured lawns, weed-free flower beds and gravel driveways which is what most of the gardens consist of.John "By Stargoose And Hanglands"https://www.blogger.com/profile/00832873074550725579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2142825947393690787.post-44795863231888650032012-08-08T21:03:17.284+01:002012-08-08T21:03:17.284+01:00Well done on your visitor John. It is such a pleas...Well done on your visitor John. It is such a pleasure when they do appear in the garden nowadays. As you say they used to be so common, now it is quite an event when one arrives. I have been thrilled to see a few more in my garden in the last year or so but nothing like they used to be. <br /><br />I think as well as the reasons you mention, people are so much more particular about their properties these days. We used to have hordes of them nesting in the loft but eventually had to have some repairs and there was no way of them getting in. The wood is starting to go again now and I think we may have had at least a pair in there this year :-) of course with so many people having plastic fascias now it's impossible for them!ShySongbirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08148381873578585910noreply@blogger.com