Two house sparrows seen in Sheffield!

[chem1st 10]

When we moved to Wisewood 5 years or so ago, our birdfeeders were full of sparrows and starlings.

 

Then all the housing association properties were remodernised which included the facias/soffits and guttering, which was where the majority of these birds raised their families.

 

A couple of years ago, we put up a couple of nest boxes as we could see the builders ripping these nests and the babies out of the houses

 

Our next door neighbour had theirs replaced over the last couple of months, putting the final nail in the coffin of our remaining 3 families who had been returning year ater year to nest in their eaves.

 

This year we have been so thankful to see that one family has taken up residence in one of our boxes...it's lovely to see the parents flashing backwards and forwards knowing that they're cleaning up the bugs from my garden to feed their babies and it's a joy to hear their excited tweets when the food arrives

 

 

I know that the homes needed remodernising. They look grand on it too - however, would it have killed them to pop up a couple of bird boxes on a few of the homes as they went?

 

Especially since the last couple of years also saw the housing association arrange the ripping out of 1000's feet of hedges along with 100's of trees. Yes I know they have replaced the trees with more suitable trees, but can you imagine how many birds have been made homeless with all the habitat destruction!!

 

So in a matter of 2 years, we have lost 7 sparrow families and at least 1 starling family in the immediate area. Our feeders have now just 2 sparrows and not a single starling. How sad.

 

If you have the heart, please consider putting up a couple of bird boxes.

 

Not only sparrows, pigeons too!

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=957000

 

We need council housing, with housing for wildlife incorporated into it

[Kerrangaroo 10]

Not only sparrows, pigeons too!

 

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=957000

 

We need council housing, with housing for wildlife incorporated into it

 

and a dog kennel

[taxman 12]

Privet hedges and old houses are a godsend for sparrows. Walking down Walkley Lane to Hillsborough this morning there were loads of them flying around amongst the privet hedges. I even picked one up this morning that was sitting in the middle of the road. I've no idea what was wrong with it but it didn't fly off when I approached so I assumed it was injured but when I picked it up it flew off.

 

There's a good population around Palm Street as well and I see loads of them flying in and out of the eaves.

 

The first year we moved to Walkley and I started putting out food we had about 20 at one point. But with about 20 cats in the immediate vicinity I'm now lucky to see a single one.

[clairelou65 10]

We actually bought our cottage because the noise of the sparrows in the hedge in the garden reminded my husband of his childhood, how sad is that!!!

We have loads of them nesting happily at the moment.

[Yog Sothoth 10]

There's a bunch live in the shrubberies around Fitzalan Square. i sometimes feed them if I'm eating there.

[monkey69 10]

think the birds are getting hungry!.http://t.co/FFTgpqhB