House sparrow numbers

[chris_m]

Our small bird population has been steadily decreasing in the garden but the area is now home to red kites, so guessing that in part is the issue.

Our local starlings got an unwelcome alarm call last week. They've taken to roosting overnight in a tree at the bottom of my neighbour's garden.
Anyway, I went out into the garden just after sunrise. I was halfway through checking for any moggy diggings when I heard a hell of a kerfuffle coming from that tree. As I turned to look, the starlings shot out in all directions - closely followed by the local sparrowhawk!!!!
The starlings didn't come back for a couple of days, can't imagine why.

[Philthy]

Just gonna turn the thread slightly with more of a question

So I bought a couple of bird feeders recently to gift to a friend for her birthday, a tubular feeder for sunflower seeds / blends, and a mesh one for peanuts. The mesh one is on suckers for attaching to a window, seeds one is to hang off a hook attached to a wall.
This is necessary as she is in a 1st floor flat in a 3 storey block.

I advised her to expect to have to wait a couple of weeks before she starts seeing any activity around the feeders, naturally local birds need to find them first.

Do you think this is a realistic time frame? Anyone else got a similar setup i.e. feeders within a balcony or up the side of a building where there is no real cover nearby to fly from / to? Do the birds come?

Can't say I've seen too many sparrows flying around her building (bigger birds yes, rooks and seagulls are usually on the grassed areas). Hmm...

[4Shoes]

Take it the Window faces onto the balcony . Wouldn't want to be the person walking past in a storm with the feeder flying off

There are several flats with feeders on the balcony on Great Western Road (Glasgow). There is a line of cherry trees immediately in front of the terrace so there is cover for the birds.

I wouldn't think 1 floor up would be a problem, often see wag tails and small birds scooting around my roof. But sparrows tend to be flight birds, so may not like the open space.

[Philthy]

Hi 4Shoes, yep it's the kitchen window, looks out onto the balcony, and the hook for the other feeder is just to the side of the balcony door - right of the kitchen window - and hangs just inside the balcony railing and about 2' above it. It'll be okay there even if the wind gets up.

There are several flats with feeders on the balcony on Great Western Road (Glasgow)...
I wouldn't think 1 floor up would be a problem, often see wag tails and small birds scooting around my roof...

That's reassuring well, sparrows were my first thought as most likely visitors given their wide distribution among our urban and suburban habitats (though like I say I can't recall personally having seen all that many).. tbh any small birds, finches, tits, whatever comes calling, would be a most welcome site. The issue really then if any would be the lack of cover in front of the building - birds flying past it rather than around, would they still notice feeders effectively in a recess of a blank space, and be inquisitive / brave enough to want to venture in.. fingers crossed

[Jimny14]

Just been chilling out having breakfast watching the bird feeders. Has been a busy morning, I've seen house sparrows, dunnock, great blue and coal tits. A Robin, black birds a bull finch a wren and I think a crested tit. Tried to get some pics but tits dont sit still too well

[4Shoes]

Back down at the new house. The Great Bird Food provider must have been on strike, so the mega feeder was empty. Only a poor single Dunock was all that was left hopping about looking for the last few seeds. Filled up the stores and before you could say Abra... A robin was perched on the wall. Left some seed on the ground for the Blackbirds, Collar Doves and Wrens. Tits returned, but the sparrows must have got a better offer... Expect they will be back tomorrow.

[4Shoes]

Feeding the sparrows today and noticed that the Dunocks have started flirting.

[burnie]

Just been chilling out having breakfast watching the bird feeders. Has been a busy morning, I've seen house sparrows, dunnock, great blue and coal tits. A Robin, black birds a bull finch a wren and I think a crested tit. Tried to get some pics but tits dont sit still too well

Crested Tits are only in the Highlands of Scotland, so it was perhaps something else.

[Jimny14]

Hhmmm, probably something else then burnie, shame I didn't get a picture of it to try and ID it properly this time.

[Jimny14]

Just seen a scrabble of long tailed tits making their way up the hedge, thought I saw one a week or so ago but only saw one so thought maybe not. Today though there were a dozen or so making their way through our land and even briefly in the feeders. Guess that means there's not much food about.

[veggiechicken]

I lurve seeing a gang of longtailed tits - I call them lollipops - little round bodies on sticks.
They're more obvious during winter here but I think that's because the leaves have fallen.
There's a bullfinch on an apple tree as I write!