Nature Diary...This Year's Youngsters

This year we have been blessed to have witnessed no less than three, possibly four broods of youngsters produced by the adult Sparrows this year and it has been an absolute joy to watch them! With their numbers in decline in many areas around the UK it has been wonderful to know they have found food, safety and shelter nearby.

With enough of a variety of feeders to cater for all, including Starlings early in the year (who gorge like you wouldn’t believe), to a few quick visits from Great Tits and Blue Tits, to a pair of loving Magpies who never bother anyone else, to little Dunnocks who like to feed on the dropped seed, to colourful Robins who also brought their babies, and including a couple of Wood Pigeons who do a good job ‘hoovering’ up any seed landing on the ground, the bird feeders on the patio have provided enough nourishment to have made a good feeding station which has been safe for them and which has been filled daily to keep them coming. A win for them and a win for us. Hooray!