LOTS OF SPARROWS :o)))

thats so sweet i keep gettin a lot of sparrows it seems they are comin back again.

lots of snow you've got there TT.... havnt had any down here yet....

Hi Jackie, Holly...
Coldest ever last night ! Yes, lots of snow around like a big white duvet !! Nice to see the sparrows increasing their numbers in some areas. :o)))

Very very cold down here to TT... Just around the corner from me is a hedge all the sparrows congregate there, its next to a large gate, so i call the sparrows, sparrow gate...lol there always chirping in the hedge.

Nice to have Sparrowgate :o)
As Jackie says, the sparrows are coming back in some parts. :o)))

Used to see a garden full when i was a child, i used to love bird watching even then... :)

Lovely to see and know you have had so many Terratoonie as I was really worried that they were in decline. I don't see that many in my garden :(((

We get some in our garden every day. I think you have to consider the ground feeders so that they are not left out. They don't like the hanging wire feeders but they will use our bird table.

Hi Michaella ..
The TV programme today investigates the decline of sparrows. I hope more come back to your garden.

Linda .. The sparrows like feeding from tube feeders in my garden... peanuts inside a mesh tube, and a seed mix in the other tube ...

...I put the tubes inside the wire globes to deter the starlings somewhat, and give the sparrows a chance to feed. You can see sparrows feeding in one of my globe bird feeders in my recent blog Let It Snow, Let It Snow.

lovely pic, TT, and good to see so many sparrows - bet that pigoen felt a bit lonely!

There were reports a while ago that the sparrow is a disappearing species, not sure if that was hedge sparrow, house sparrow, or just sparrows overall. Good to see you've got a good population - can't remember the last time I saw a sparrow - know my vision's not brill, but that's one bird I can usually recognise

Hi Fran ... Thanks...
Maybe the TV programme this afternoon will explain more about which type of sparrow has suffered the greatest decline in numbers ...

hi TT its so nice to see the sparrows ,

i havent seen any this year, got loads of robins ,

love the snow 2, not had much up here,
looking forword to the tv programme today ,bye bye for now BBFB x :)

Hi Mark...
Glad you like the sparrow pic.
Lucky you, having lots of robins in Yorks. :o)
Enjoy the TV programme. xxx

i will is it on yet lol 3.30 its a long time away :))

lovely photo Terra

Thanks Yorks.

I've just watched the BBC Garden Bird programme..
interesting to note the decline in populations of sparrows...

I'll tell Barry, but we find they wait on the ground for other birds or the squirrels to drop the seeds from the hanging mesh tube feeders.

Hi Terra lovely pic of the sparrows, I only have a few visit my garden. I do get a couple of blue tits & a robin but mainly starlings & a couple of pigeons I have named Mr & Mrs Andrews - dont know why.
I have recorded the programme & will watch it when my clan have gone back to work & Uni.
Yesterday I was sitting on a rock up the park watching a rather big robin hop about, I turned to speak to my mum then all of a sudden the robin dive bombed me & then my mum. So today I took seed up with me, sure enough he was there & had a right good feast.
Took about 2lb of seed & scattered it below trees where the snow had melted. Hope it helps a few of our little feathered friends.

Hi Willinilli...
The TV programme was actually better than I had expected it to be ... :o)))
That's kind of you to feed the birds in the park... they'll have full tummies today :o)

I`ve had loads of seagulls today terra,think the sea must have frozen.

Hi Kev...
Amazing how far inland the seagulls fly when the weather is bad...

I only saw the last half of the programme,as we forgot to record it ! grrr .. .but I enjoyed what I saw...certainly made you think ,didn't it ? Lovely to see all those sparrows in your garden,Terra..I still have 'my family' too..:o)

Hi Bloomer ...
The whole show was very good.
Made me feel fortunate for every sparrow I have here :o)

can't you get it all on catchup on the BBC site?

Hi Julia..
Lots of details on my blog published today..
I've put all the channels and times there.

Yes,I am going to do that,Fran..but thanks for thinking of me :o)

lol np

I wondered what np meant at first..till the penny dropped...thought I had turned into Noseypotter ! Lol...if only I had his talent ! :o))

Bloomer ... you have more tattoos than NP... that's how I can tell the difference ;o)

sorry, Bloomer; too much time in irc! [internet chatrooms]

great picture, TT, lucky you

Thanks Nbhatt :o)

Nice to see the birds are finding some food in the snow :o)

Hello Hywel..
That little bird in the middle was using the snow in the same way the sparrows do when they have a dust bath in the summer... really enjoying it .. Lol.

I don't think he can have any feeling lol

It was soooo cold out there ! Lol.

We've had a warm sunny day today, but it's really cold now. It was nice to feel the WARM sunshine :o) I hope you get some ...

You're lucky Terra we have only a few sparrows but 17 wood pigeons! I watched the programme today. It was really good.

Hi Rose ... 17 wood pigeons !!! ?

Some years ago, in my garden, it would have been 17 starlings, but since house owners have had their gutters and fascia boards modernised, a lot of the starling nesting opportunities have disappeared and the sparrows get more opportunities to survive. Yes, the first episode was very interesting :o)))

that's a welcome sight Terra, loads of lovely birds :-)

Hi Surreylad..
Yes lovely to see, and easier to spot against the white of the snow :o)

Lol Terra....wanna bet ? :o)))..and Fran..np ! :o))

Lol. Bloomer ;o)

That is sad, BB...
Maybe catch the show on BBC iplayer ? ...
... very interesting :o)

A very welcome sight to see sparrows again in our gardens....

Thanks Dotty .. yes I've been delighted to see more and more sparrows this winter :o)

great pic Terra, nice to see so many about :o))

Thanks, Sandra ... lots... ;o)))

YW :o)) x

I read or heard that they're trying to encourage farmers back to old farming practices, such as field borders and proper hedges, to encourage birds and other wildlife - and to reap from one end to the other, rather than circle in to the middle, because a lot of small wildlife was taking refuge in the standing crop rather than run out into open field, and then there'd be nowhere left to run to ...

Yes, a lot going on with farmers growing field borders of wild flowers etc. That was shown on the programme mentioned on my recent TV blog, Bees, Butterflies and Blooms :o)

they need all the encouragement they can get - the farmers as well as the bees etc

a lovely garden shall have visitors :)

Lovely photo! Nice to see them in a flock! I saw the programme and thought it all so sad that birds are declining due to US! As I've said before with many a comment, I'd LOVE to feed the birds here but, in a way, I suppose I do by growing flowers that have seeds and attract aphids and other insects. I don't put out food for them because of the feral cats and I'd hate birds to become dependant on my gifts and lose the ability to hunt around. It's amazed us that since the snow thawed on the meadow it has been chock-a-block with Fieldfare and Blackbirds who, as you know, are territorial, but they all seem to have declared a 'truce' - rather like the bears that gather for the salmon run - and agreed NOT to chase each other off for a while!

Kind comment, Aleyna... thank you :o)

Hi Nariz ...
yes, it is a worry that by putting bird food on the ground we might attract other creatures such as rats. I'm sure the birds appreciate the seeds from the flowers you grow :o)

thats a lot of snow Terra !!. I still can,t believe that we have had none at all up here . love the sparrows :-))

Hi Helen up in hot Scotland.
Sparrows are lovely aren't they :o)))

Nice to see that many sparrows gathered TT.
It looks like they are making a good comeback in your area.

Thanks, Johnboy ...
Yes... the sparrows nest in nearby pyracantha. They need to find very safe places away from the neighbourhood cats.

When I completed the RSPB bird count, I saw 8 sparrows, but I knew there were more around !

Love to see the sparrows we have had more this year but the main birds in my garden are Robins, Bluetits, Blackbirds and Chaffinches, we have also had a few Long Tail Tits but not as many as last year! Fogot to mention my old faithfuls Lovey and Dovey the Collared Doves ;0))

so Lovey and Dovey are back from their hols then ? Have you seen Janey's pic yet ,Carole ? lol.

Hi Carole ...
You're lucky to see all those birds. My garden has mostly sparrows, with a few collared doves, wood pigeons, starlings, blackbirds, one robin, and one occasional magpie !

Hi Juila..
Slightly milder here today.
Some snow refusing to melt as yet ..
Glad you enjoyed a welcome "dawn chorus" ! :o)

Julia. Julia. Julia...
I must practise my spelling. Lol. ;o)

Hi Homebird. Thanks.

That's good to know you've lots of sparrows too.
I think they need suitable prickly shrubs for nesting to keep predators at bay !

LOL.
I warn you, when my eyes get tired I can produce yet more amazing anagrams. ;o)

Lovely to see the sparrows TT, the wood pigeon looks a bit baffled by it all.

Hi Bob... Thanks ..
For some reason this pic makes me think of a white golf course...

... sparrows for holes 1 - 17, and wood pigeon at no.18, but looking forward to the "19th hole"...;o) Lol.

it's the "keyboard gremlins", TT - they keep switchng the keys around when you're not looking.

omg wheres me sunglasses lol , too bright !! x

Hi Cris. Snow has melted now...
safe to take your sunglasses off ;o) x

We have quite a few sparrows that come onto the feeders for the sunflower hearts - we also have a sparrow nesting box - it is a double dwelling but the bluetits seem to prefer it !

Hi Marigold6 ...
Any news of more sparrows is good ... even if some bluetits are "squatting" ;o)

Have you been watching the "Birds Britannica" Terratoonie has a blog on? brilliant programmes; the first is on garden birds, and the decline of the sparrow in particular

Thats a lovely photo; terra' we havent had much snow either ! but I dont mind looking at other peeps snow picks lol we see plenty of sparrows here as well we also have blue tits and great tits as regular visitor, missed the bird prog; unfortunately.

Hi Maggy ...
I'm pleased you like this pic.
I was delighted to see so many sparrows ..
nice that your garden has the blue tits and great tits.

I put reminders on my TV blogs for the bird, wildlife and gardening progammes. If you comment on the blogs, then you'll see the reminders come up automatically. I hope this helps :o)

What a lovely photo. You're so lucky to still have sparrows in your area. I haven't seen them where I live (SE London) for years and they are greatly missed.

Hi Lijemc ... Thanks.
that's a pity the sparrows seem to have deserted your part of London... I hope they return...

hi TT just seen your pic ,its great to feed the birds ,they are so delicate ,i made a sparrow box a 3 nest box 1 entry on each end & a middle entry i now have 3 prs nesting all communal ,i love my little sparrows too

Hi Pete ..
That's great news for the sparrows ...
Clever idea with the communal box ..
lots of baby sparrows soon :o)))

good for you, Pete! I'd love to put some nest boxes up; any advice on placement? - height, direction, that sort of thing?

hi fran /all .. i put the box up as high as possible under the house fascia or gutter theres a sub station next to me mines on there not quite in full sun so it dosent get too hot in summer ,i think they would be gratefull for any help nesting these days cheers pete

thanks!

Now tonight my feelings towards sparrows are a bit mixed. I love to see them but I also love my viburnum blossom. Thanks again for your answer. Wonder what I need to do next year? But we have always had sparrows. Never died out here in the outskirts of north London. Wonder why they ate all the buds this year and not in previous years?

I guess the blossom-pecking maybe something to do with the odd weather this year ... ?

All seventeen of these sparrows had pecked happily at Bodnantense "Dawn" and were secretly planning a united onslaught on the future buds of my Burkwoodii !!!