Do the sparrows go on holiday?

We have loads of pigeons too but the gamekeeper does shoot on the back time from time to time which keeps them down. I do think they are then eaten.....as even our farm shop sells pigeon sausages

I wish the bliddy pigeons would join them. Is it just me or are we overrun with them this year?
Grateful to those who advised me on pigeon-proofing my solar panels.
Their ( the pigeons that is, not the Grans) days are numbered
Roll on 25 October ???

Poor squirrel

All the sparrows are back and completely naughty and bonkers again. There is a lone starling messing about with them too, I have no idea what that is al about but he's very pretty. Very black breast but a fawn coloured head

3dognight

They will be keeping a low profile so that they can have a full moult. This can leave them vulnerable and poor fliers. Moult can take six weeks or so, after which they will be spruced up to face winter.

We have a large amount of feathers in our garden which I've never noticed in other years.

I didn't think of moulting but I know we have a sparrow hawk in the area too.
DH noticed a dead squirrel on the front lawn a couple of days ago and was going to put it in the general waste but I saw three or four rooks having a feast and the squirrel (it could have been a baby) has all but disappeared.

That's very good

then the blackbird just randomly goes in the hedge to shit them all up

Jane
That reminds me of this! Might be off-topic, but always makes me smile! So true!
IF YOU ARE UNHAPPY
Once upon a time, there was a non-conforming sparrow that decided not to fly south for the winter.
However, soon the weather turned so cold that he reluctantly started to fly south. In a short time, ice began to form on his wings and he fell to earth in a farmyard, almost frozen. A cow passed by and crapped on the little sparrow. The sparrow thought it was the end, but the manure warmed him and defrosted his wings. Warm and happy, able to breathe, he started to sing. Just then a large cat came by, and hearing the chirping, investigated the sounds.
The cat cleared away the manure, found the chirping bird, and promptly ate him!
The moral of the story:
1. Everyone who shits on you is not necessarily your enemy.
2. Everyone who gets you out of the shit is not necessarily your friend.
3. And, if you're warm and happy in a pile of shit, keep your mouth shut

I have never seen the Parakeets. I take it they are South of London rather than North?

There is lots of moss being flung about here too!

We’ve had 3 jackdaws move in on the bird feeder, and they’re also ripping moss off the roof, which is good of them. But they make an awful mess.

Sadly no sparrows. But lots of parakeeets. One parakeet balanced on the top of a very tall sunflower to eat the seeds ?

As someone upthread said, it’s moulting time for many species of bird just now, after the busy time of breeding, so they tend to hide away until new feathers have come through properly, as they are very vulnerable to predation during this process, and can’t fly as well as normal. I’ve not seen or heard many birds about at all at the moment, other than the starlings. They are about, just lying low.
I’m not sure about the nest debris being thrown about on the ground, I can’t say I’ve noticed any, but I suppose it makes sense to have a clear out. Occasionally see some dried up moss thrown about but assumed that was done by the blackbirds during nesting time and when searching for food. ?

Thanks, JaneJudge. I was quite puzzled by this, but it seems they are staying here later than usual this year. I'm glad you confirmed it. .
Yes, the sparrows were marvellous to watch. They are so daring and cheeky.

Henetha, I think they are a bit late this year as they are still here too.

Sparrows are entertaining and they are so naughty

On Sunday I sat in a pub garden with my grandson and we were kept entertained by the many sparrows darting in and out, and onto, the tables and picking up titbits. We took lots of photos of them.
Also, there were a large amount of swifts about, sitting on the telephone line and then swooping low over us. Grandson asssured me they were swifts, not swallows. But shouldn't the swifts have left for abroad by now?

We have loads of sparrows, haven’t noticed any nest clearing yet though. Will keep an eye on them.

I have sparrow news

They are moving back into the outbuilding roof en masse

Our sparrows are back from their holidays on the farm. The hedge, and bushes are full of them.
The collared doves are still waking me up far too early in the mornings.
I seem to have lost the jackdaws. I wonder where they have gone!

I noticed today the sparrows rule the middle to upper part of hedge, the dunnocks are at the bottom
the blue tits think they are in charge of the tree above but robin thinks it rules all of them
then the blackbird just randomly goes in the hedge to shit them all up
and the kestrel and goshawks just pick them all off and the magpies take their opportunities

It is like being human

Thank you Silverbridge

I really laughed at this

Pairs often remain faithful to their nest site and to each other for life, although a lost mate of either sex is normally replaced within days

I have quite a variety of birds which I feed according to their preferences. What I’m plagued by are jackdaws - they lift and throw the moss off the roof and hammer on the upstairs windows at 6.15 almost every morning. It’s like a horror film!

They could be this year's young or a mix of older and younger birds. This from the RSPB:

House sparrows usually nest in loose colonies and since they don't defend a proper territory, nests can be as little as 20-30 cm apart.

Nests are often placed in holes and crevices within buildings and they will readily use nestboxes. Free-standing nests are also frequently built, in creepers against walls and in thick hedges or conifers.

Pairs often remain faithful to their nest site and to each other for life, although a lost mate of either sex is normally replaced within days. A hole is filled with dry grass or straw with a nesting chamber lined with feathers, hairs, string and paper. Feathers may be plucked from a live pigeon!

The main nesting season is from April to August, although nesting has been recorded in all months. Most birds lay two or three clutches, but in a good year fourth attempts are not uncommon.

The young fledge 14-16 days after hatching. They are unable to feed themselves for about a week after leaving the nest and are cared for by their parents for around a fortnight. Post-fledging care is frequently left to the male as the hen prepares for the next brood. She can begin laying her next clutch of eggs within days of the previous brood leaving the nest.

Newly independent young often gather in large flocks, anywhere there is an abundance of seed, invertebrates and other suitable foods. These may be areas of wasteland or around garden feeding sites. Later, rural flocks may move on to grainfields to feed on the ripening grain, often joined by adult birds, once they have finished nesting. Flocks tend to break up through the autumn and birds return to their nesting colony sites.

Sounds like your "lost" birds are back.

Well my front hedge is absolutely FULL of sparrows now scratching themselves. I can't work out whether they are babies or just itchy older ones but they are all very entertaining

They seem to have had a really successful year and there are more than usual twiddling about all day in the garden. We have a winter clematis which faces south and they use that as cover and make little spaces in it to sit and sunbath.

I fed them every morning as they empty the feeders every day. Costs a small fortune.

There are quite a lot of swifts this year, more than usual. What I am missing are frogs. Where did they go ?

They will be keeping a low profile so that they can have a full moult. This can leave them vulnerable and poor fliers. Moult can take six weeks or so, after which they will be spruced up to face winter.

About a dozen of them were having dust baths at the weekend.
Getting ready for their holidays perhaps?

They were all in a pyracantha bush in my garden this afternoon. It’s near the sweet peas, and when I went out to pick them, about 30 sparrows all flew out together, they made a right racket. Quite surprising as until two weeks ago a thrush was nesting there, I have no idea what they were doing.