Bolton Bird Survey - Press Release

[Hedge Witch]

Originally Posted by Hedgehoggy

Hedge Witch I put a similar Sparrow Terrace on my house wall some four years ago (when I still had House Sparrows around). The first year I had Great Tits successfully nest in one of the compartments The following year that same compartment was taken over by bumble bees! Since then, the Tegenarias have colonised all 3 compartments and I haven't the heart to turf them out!

Hi Hedgehoggy, similar thing here. Last year we had a nest of Blue Tits. This year the same species seems to have been eyeing it up again. Anything but House Sparrows it appears.

[Nightranger]

Just a slight correction on my last post - J. Denis Summers-Smith is not convinced that hedge removal is the definitive cause in local declines and cites lack of food for young as being the more acute cause. Clearly, there can be a number of factors that influence the latter so this is a fair position to take and the pesticide equivalents produced by unleaded fuel combustion are undoubtedly one such factor. Studies around major trunk routes (as opposed to in built up areas) have shown less bird breeding close to the roads. Some of this could be the result of noise pollution preventing adequate holding of territories by song transmission but I believe there has been some work done on invertebrate communities in the same locations.

All the same, acute habitat loss must be significant although colonies can take a few years to die out after successful breeding ceases.

I am not sure about sparrow terraces in terms of efficiency although there is no doubt that they work if placed correctly. The best place is under the eaves of the house because sparrows will almost always choose the highest possible location and very rarely lower on a wall unless there is an ivy covering. It also seems likely that house sparrows prefer a discreet spacing between nests and I have asked a friend in Preston to try three separate boxes spaced along her roof. Incidentally, if you do not already have house sparrows visiting the garden it is possible you may have to wait some years for the boxes to be used. Blue tits and great tits have been known to use one compartment of the terraces so they arre rarely a complete waste of time while you are waiting for the sparrows to arrive. House sparrows breed earlier than blue tits or great tits but the latter two tend to claim nest sites even in winter and may build a winter roost structure. This will tend to deter any birds looking for a nest site whilst the builders re-construct the nest with more appropriate 'summer materials'.

[Hedge Witch]

Interesting Nightranger. Thanks. And I hope you can tell us the results of your friends trial.

I made sure my box was very close to the eaves (and that took some doing ). Sparrows occasionally visit the garden for aphids.

Fingers crossed.

[Nightranger]

Incidentally, if anyone is based in the Bolton area - I am looking for people to help with spring bird surveys at Seven Acres Country Park. Ideally I would like to have two teams because of the way Seven Acres falls in 2 x 1km squares so that records can be standardised between our own (Lancashire Wildlife Trust), the county recorder and Birdtrack needs. This would mean a minimum of six people required although more would be welcome as subtitutes due to H&S concerns.

I am looking at Territory Mapping as the main survey method, which requires early morning visits but all bird records will be taken. If you are interested then send me a PM or call the Environmental Resource Centre at the number earlier in the thread and leave a message (assuming I am not in to take your call ). Previous experience of bird surveys is not essential but some reasonably competent bird ID skills would be a distinct advantage. Hopefully, both teams will always have an experienced member available. Visits are likely to be one per every two weeks from mid March to mid June and this means the latest visits could potentially be very early in the morning.

[Kayleigh]

We have 50+ here so I think we are lucky I can't imagine being in the garden and it being silent as the sparrows make a right din..
Its lovely hearing them its like they are having a meeting about what happened in the day..
If I lost my sparrows all I would get are 5 Blackbirds, 2 dunnocks, 2 Blue tits, 2 Robins, 2 Chaffinches a couple of Starlings and a wren..