House Sparrows.

Stephen Routledge · **Posted:** Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:00 pm

In recent years i have read many reports regarding the decline of this species,but currently i have got a large flock visiting my garden which is costing a small fortune in Sunflower hearts and fat balls and is at the moment at a maxima of 102 birds.I know that i live in a rural location,with a garden that backs onto a cereal field and woodland,but i was just wondering what other members have experienced with regards to numbers of the species in the county.

Regards

Steve.

Mandy West · **Posted:** Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:08 pm

Steve,

We have a resident group of between 20-30 birds, plus juveniles. They roost and feed in our small back garden as well as in a large bush in the front garden.We live in a built up area. They too devour vast amounts of sunflower hearts and fat balls (as well as the 50 or so Starlings that are always around too!)

M&M

John Harry · **Posted:** Sun Sep 12, 2010 5:19 pm

Steve,

I have had maxima c30 which is good for my back yard plus at least 1 offspring each of 2 broods from 1 pair. They nested in a new build house and took advantage of a gap between the brickwork and fascia board.

Problem with my feeder is that one will perch on it and hoof all the seed out to get to the millet that I think they prefer. This leaves corn, sunflowers and other seed uneaten everywhere! 60kg of mixed seed I have been through this year so far!

I have seen more nest visits and juveniles this year then anytime before. However as always, local trends may not match the national statistics.

Cheers

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Sun Sep 12, 2010 7:42 pm

I have been doing some BBS 1km squares for the last five years and in one there is a deserted farm where peak counts have almost doubled since I started this square. It's in a fairly isolated rural area but my general impression is that House Sparrows in my street in Louth are also increasing but I have no data for them.

John

Stuart Britton · **Posted:** Sun Sep 12, 2010 8:42 pm

I have been ringing in a garden at Kirmond le Mire for 8 years with a similar amount of effort each year. It should be borne in mind that I estimate the number of House Sparrows ringed represents less than half the birds seen in the garden. The number ringed or re-trapped each year are as follows:

2003 18
2004 34
2005 29
2006 12
2007 29
2008 17
2009 38
2010 48 (All but 8 are this years birds)

I usually catch the majority in the last three months of the year so it's fair to say that 2010 has been an exceptionally productive year for the species.

John T Goy · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:30 pm **Posts:** 2385

The numbers of birds averages at this time is 12-15, the biggest amount are feeding on peanuts, some on nyger, striped sunflower seeds, fat balls and other scraps. Winter sees upwards of 30 sometimes more. I live on the south-western edge of scunny with no shortage of open spaces ie grassland, arable, fields, trees within half a mile.

So Steve you have started feeding the birds have you.

Kind regards

John

Brian Eke · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 12:31 am

All.
At home on the north east edge of lincoln, nesting in our roof, 20-40 on the road out of the estate and if I go down the patch anywhere upto 80.
At work at RAF Waddington, 20-30 around the ambucopter office and similar numbers at the sw corner at Barn fm.
Brian.

Katherine Birkett · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 1:40 am

Stephen Routledge wrote:

and is at the moment at a maxima of 102 birds.

BLIMEY!

I've seen maximum flock sizes of about 30-40 in my estate garden. I think I have them 'housetrained' in the fact that my main feeding area is close to a concrete pillar that has a tall bit of trellis tied to it. When all the feeding ports on my four feeders (general mixes - Chapelwood, Vine House Farm, Johnson and Jeff & Wilko Robin mix) are full, the waiting sparrows will very considerately 'queue' on the trellis structure and happily exchange places with the other sparrows when they're full!

At its peak activity, it does look rather comical!

Colin and Sheila Jennings · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 4:07 pm

The House Sparrow flock in our garden on the edge of Sleaford has never been more than c45 birds in the 15 years we have lived here. Their numbers peak in the summer and can fall to single numbers during the winter period. As others have noticed, they can eat a prodigious amount of food mainly in the form of 'wild bird seed'. This contains assorted seeds including black sunflower. They also scoff their way through plenty of peanuts and sunflower hearts in feeders that various finches spend the day around.

It seems likely that the local Sparrowhawks do most to control House Sparrow numbers as they raid our garden several times on some days but not always successfully.

Regards,

Colin and Sheila

Stephen Routledge · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:36 pm

That's great,thanks for all the replys,so the general concensus of opinion is that this species is doing well in Linc's and it looks like they are increasing and that this year has been a bumper year for our humble little spadger,best get some more fatballs and sunflower hearts in

.

Regards

Steve.

Katherine Birkett · **Posted:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:43 pm

Colin and Sheila Jennings wrote:

It seems likely that the local Sparrowhawks do most to control House Sparrow numbers as they raid our garden several times on some days but not always successfully.

Our local sparrowhawk came today. Just as I was putting out a re-filled feeder, I walked a couple of steps onto the patio and WHOOMPH!! Sparrowhawk flew in at a prodigious speed, almost crash-landed into the privet hedge, grabbed two house sparrows and flew away with the sparrows in its clutch uttering at some volume the last eerie, terrified distress call they ever made...

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House Sparrows.

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