# What could have happened to our sparrows



## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Since we moved into this house in 2016 we have been inundated with sparrows, we moaned about them for eating most of the sunflower seeds.
Suddenly since the end of October beginning of November we don't have one sparrow. Nothing has changed, no hedges taken down, which wouldn't have made any difference because most of them lived in our neighbours roof. They normally live here in up to minus 20 temperatures and so far its been a mild winter.
Anyone know why they might have cleared orf ?


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

sparrows have been in decline across Northern Europe for a number of years - there are parts of the UK now where sparrow counts are near zero where there used to be many. the reason is unknown but thoight to be linked to environment changes, agricultural habits etc or some other reason. luckily I still have loads! this is an interesting read - http://www.independent.co.uk/30yearsoftheindependent/where-have-all-the-sparrows-gone-a7349336.html


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

Just the opposite here. We have lived here 18 years and only in the last 18 months have we seen Sparrows. They must be breeding well as there are loads of them now. I missed hearing their chatter as they were everywhere when I were a lad. Putting out Fat Balls and Peanuts attracts them to your garden.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Our green finches are also declining, we used to have dozens on and under the bird table, very few this year. Bramblings used to be plentiful at this time of year this year we haven't seen one so far. Crows both the black and hooded, there aren't as many of those this year either.
Magpies and Jays are in the garden, up to 12 magpies and yesterday 3 jays, that never used to be.
Nothing much changes here, a few new houses, but there are plenty of ruins for the birds to nest in. I wonder what the birds know that we don't. :frown2:


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## bilbaoman (Jun 17, 2016)

Plenty in my garden in the north of Spain maybe its down to the EU free movement policy


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

JanHank said:


> Our green finches are also declining, we used to have dozens on and under the bird table, very few this year. Bramblings used to be plentiful at this time of year this year we haven't seen one so far. Crows both the black and hooded, there aren't as many of those this year either.
> Magpies and Jays are in the garden, up to 12 magpies and yesterday 3 jays, that never used to be.
> Nothing much changes here, a few new houses, but there are plenty of ruins for the birds to nest in. I wonder what the birds know that we don't. :frown2:


I read somewhere that Greenfinches are declining to to some disease. There are no longer any visiting us, although Goldfinches don't seem affected and are numerous.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

> Our green finches are also declining


become a major problem in the UK due to a parasitic protozoan, Trichomonosis, which is often transmitted through unclean feeders (and bird to bird).

https://www.bto.org/science/population-dynamics/greenfinches-and-trichomonosis


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Here in south east Hampshire we used to have lots of sparrows and starlings that travelled around in flocks.
Sparrows are now rarely seen and then just the odd individual. Starlings are very slowly starting to come back in small groups of six or so.
Magpies are a runaway success as are blackbirds. Wrens are very common and many species of tits.
This winter we have moved our feeding station from the back garden to the front garden and it's proving more popular with our feathered friends.

The biggest difference in our area is that ten years ago there were seven farms in the surrounding area but gradually they have all been given over to housing.
So it would appear that it's people or birds!


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## p-c (Oct 27, 2007)

Hi

Are ther any predetaors around? On the ground or birds of prey.

I blamed the decline of sparrows here on the magpies We also have a lot of red kites.

Regards

p-c


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

At the rear of our house the bird protection area starts, there is a certain line beyond which no building can take place, between our back garden and the Oder river its fields of corn, rape, maize or sugar beat. 
We used to see a lot of deer, swallows, storks, cranes, buzzards and other birds of prey when we first arrived, each year there are less and less of them yet we are in an agricultural area, in the back of beyond, no motorways, no big factories. Its just a puzzle what is going wrong with the world of wild life, worries me.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

We get loads of allsorts in our garden, got this Robin yesterday, crap picture on phone through a window, trying not to frighten him/her


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

As we have a dozen bird feeders and houses round our house in Normandy we see plenty of sparrows, tits and finches. 
We now see many sparrows along the 'front' on the Algarve swarming around the tables and chairs outside the cafe's.
Obviously all on holiday.

Ray.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Our bird feeders are coconuts with holes in just big enough to let a blue tit in, when they are empty they get filled with a specially made fat bird pie.
Sunflower seeds are in a big upside down plastic bottle with a special copper seed hopper/dispencer at the bottom.

By the way Kev, does that robin think its mating season?


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

JanHank said:


> Our bird feeders are coconuts with holes in just big enough to let a blue tit in, when they are empty they get filled with a specially made fat bird pie.
> 
> By the way Kev, does that robin think its mating season?


You took the words out of my mouth Jan, the bottom Robin is definitely the female, i.e. the one with the bright red breast?

We have tried the coconut with different size holes without success, in each the tits nibble their way round the hole and then just leave it.


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

JanHank said:


> Our bird feeders are coconuts with holes in just big enough to let a blue tit in, when they are empty they get filled with a specially made fat bird pie.
> Sunflower seeds are in a big upside down plastic bottle with a special copper seed hopper/dispencer at the bottom.
> 
> By the way Kev, does that robin think its mating season?


Go easy on Sunflower seeds. They contain Lysergic Acid which is a constituent of LSD apparently.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Drew said:


> You took the words out of my mouth Jan, the bottom Robin is definitely the female, i.e. the one with the bright red breast?
> 
> We have tried the coconut with different size holes without success, in each the tits nibble their way round the hole and then just leave it.


The hole needs to be the same size as for a tit box Drew, it takes a while for them to make it big enough to get inside. The holes had to be reduced in size because all the sparrows learnt how to get inside as well, now the sparrows have gone. We saw one today, but don't think he can reproduce on his own.
We do have red tails here in the spring and summer, but very rarely a robin, black bird or thrush, when we do see them we get very excited.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

747 said:


> Go easy on Sunflower seeds. They contain Lysergic Acid which is a constituent of LSD apparently.


And then you get bluddy great sunflowers all over the lawn.

Ray.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

raynipper said:


> And then you get bluddy great sunflowers all over the lawn.
> 
> Ray.


No. We have only had 2 sunflowers, in 2012 and they were not in the lawn, next to it in the field.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We’ve plenty of sparrows

The sparrow hawk visited recently, didn’t see it just the remains of his/her dinner 

Our house is ivy covered so maybe habitat attracts them, nest year round 

Sparrows, robins, wrens, blackbirds 

Very few of the tit family, but sparrows are a bit belligerent

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I knew you'd be along with your sparrows Sandra, send some over here please, we miss there jabbering and quarrelling.

Sparrow hawks here don't like sparrows, they like the tits and green finches, anything with colour, so we bury the coconuts in the branches of the trees and have a little wire fence around the bird table to prevent them having an easy catch.


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## Tavira (Mar 18, 2011)

*Sparrows*

I live down in the south of Portugal, we normally have lots of small birds winter out here, Thrushes, Robins, etc, but this year not so many, but it has been an incredibly dry winter so far, and maybe they have had to find a wetter location, but it is a worry....


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Tavira said:


> I live down in the south of Portugal, we normally have lots of small birds winter out here, Thrushes, Robins, etc, but this year not so many, but it has been an incredibly dry winter so far, and maybe they have had to find a wetter location, but it is a worry....


Thanks for joining in.
I don't have you on my list so must add you now. 
Birds are no the only things that seem to be dwindling so we have to give ourselves a boost. :grin2:

http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/78...-thread-if-you-still-watching-posting-42.html


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

We have loads of sparrows at home and there seems to be loads here in Spain locally as well, I'm glad to say.:smile2:


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

p-c said:


> Hi
> 
> Are ther any predetaors around? On the ground or birds of prey.
> 
> ...


Red Kites! Now there's a success story! My brother has lived in Chieveley just north of Newbury for about 40 years. You would never see a Red Kite when he first moved there but today they are as common as Buzzards. Only this past weekend while visiting him we saw loads of these beautiful birds.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I think we would have a lot more birds around here if it wasn't for the blasted collared doves, they eat anything we put out if I don't shoo them away.


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> I think we would have a lot more birds around here if it wasn't for the blasted collared doves, they eat anything we put out if I don't shoo them away.


It's the Rooks that we have problems with, and they are so damned clever! They have even worked out how to undo the pipe cleaners that I use to keep the feeders on the metal poles of the feeding station. Once they've got the feeders on the ground all their mates fly in and devour the lot in minutes. You can buy those special spring loaded feeders but they cost a fortune. It's a constant battle of wits between me and the Rooks, and at the moment it's about ten - nil to the Rooks!!!!!


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## JollyJack (Aug 14, 2005)

We too don’t see many sparrows these days but it really depends on what we put in the feeders. We are on in the countryside near a village. 
If we put stuff out they will come depending what we put out and the time of the year. At the moment peanuts bring in blue tits very quickly to feeders and hopefully we’ll get them nesting in our boxes. Pigeons come for peanuts on the ground. Sultanas and currants bring blackbirds. Sunflower seeds Pheasants. Last year we got a couple of Reeves Pheasants. We got two wood peckers. Small birdseed brings chaffinches. Bread and the magpies and crows swoop .. Jays and blackbirds like apples.. 

Soon be the Big Bird Watch..


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

We´re a bit different you see, our birds don't like English food it has to be Gerry stuff :laugh:

It took the tits ages to understand coconuts and learn how to get the flesh out, then they found out they could get inside the nuts when the hole was big enough, then the clever little sparrows also learnt and hey presto nuts were empty, so we made birdie pie (as we call it) from fat and all sorts of other stuff to put inside the nut shells, that went down real well with tits and sparrows. Now we have a lot left because the sparrows have buggered orf and the tits aren't as greedy.


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## JollyJack (Aug 14, 2005)

JanHank said:


> We´re a bit different you see, our birds don't like English food it has to be Gerry stuff :laugh:
> 
> It took the tits ages to understand coconuts and learn how to get the flesh out, then they found out they could get inside the nuts when the hole was big enough, then the clever little sparrows also learnt and hey presto nuts were empty, so we made birdie pie (as we call it) from fat and all sorts of other stuff to put inside the nut shells, that went down real well with tits and sparrows. Now we have a lot left because the sparrows have buggered orf and the tits aren't as greedy.


We'll have to try that  it's possible to buy blocks of bird seed fat - sometimes with grubs embedded - to hang from trees. The birds go crazy for it  but it's expensive :crying:


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

JollyJack said:


> We'll have to try that  it's possible to buy blocks of bird seed fat - sometimes with grubs embedded - to hang from trees. The birds go crazy for it  but it's expensive :crying:


Lard and flour are the main ingredient, then you can add nuts and raisins, (leave out the chocolate) and anything else you can spare.

Melt the lard in a big saucepan and gradually add the flour and other things until you can form a ball, it takes a bit of practice because it mustn't be too dry or it just falls apart.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

*Oh what a beautiful morning*

Although -5°C the sun is shining brightly :laugh:

In the last few days our sparrows are returning, there are a couple of dozen so far.
I asked them "Where have you been" but there not telling.

There have also been 4 pairs of bullfinches in one of the fruit trees picking of the tiny buds, good thing because these little yellow plums (we called them merrabela, but I don't know how its spelt) anyway, in July there are so many and when they drop and rot they stink and bring the wasps.

Trouble with these sunny morning is they shows how dirty the windows are so if it warms up thats the job for today------maybe.
Hans´s op is at noon.


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

JanHank said:


> Although -5°C the sun is shining brightly :laugh:
> 
> In the last few days our sparrows are returning, there are a couple of dozen so far.
> I asked them "Where have you been" but there not telling.
> ...


Beautiful morning here on the Isle of Wight too! The birds are busy on the feeders, Blue and Great Tits, Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Longtailed Tits. A host of other ground feeding birds as well. But none of my beloved Yellowhammers:crying: When we moved here in 2012 they were regular visitors but sadly no longer. They are on the endangered list due to loss of habitat but nothings changed round here for years so who knows?

So my first Stonechat a few days ago, and while walking Daisy along the seafront at Ventnor a birder that I got talking to pointed out a group of Rock Pippits, another first for me.

As I enter my 64th year I feel closer and closer to the natural world but light years away from the world that we (mankind) has created........


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

Hi Jan, you beat me to it.

For the past few days we could hear the chirping but couldn't see them, yesterday when I was restoring the Tit boxes after giving them their annual clean I saw the first of the Sparrows.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Drew said:


> Hi Jan, you beat me to it.
> 
> For the past few days we could hear the chirping but couldn't see them, yesterday when I was restoring the Tit boxes after giving them their annual clean I saw the first of the Sparrows.


Bet they didn't tell you where they had been either.


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

JanHank said:


> Bet they didn't tell you where they had been either.


I didn't bother asking them Jan, just so glad that they had returned.


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

There are not so many here in Spain now so perhaps they were down here and like us return to the north around now.:frown2:


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

greygit said:


> There are not so many here in Spain now so perhaps they were down here and like us return to the north around now.:frown2:


They should have waited a bit longer then, its blinking cold here, but bright like me :grin2:


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