Notes From A Wirral Garden

Goldfinch. Photo: Les Roberts

Les Roberts has contributed before to our blog and newsletter. Here he updates us about the wildlife in his garden.

I noticed the first 2016 frogspawn in our small pond on the 29 January. Another mass appeared two days later. It seemed early to me but maybe the relatively mild weather and heavy rainfall have encouraged spawning. I wish I had given more attention to such things over the years or even kept records as do many people.

When it comes to garden birds I don’t need records to signal that changes have occurred - and are still occurring.

Growing up in the suburbs of Liverpool, over 50 years ago, Blackbirds and House Sparrows were numerous. I can remember them nesting in a broken airbrick high up on our house. Blue Tits were plentiful, often pecking through the foil of milk bottle tops for the cream below and Starlings flocked in large numbers. I don’t recall ever seeing the ‘exotics’ such as Goldfinches and Greenfinches, although Chaffinches were common and seem still to be.

Chaffinch. Photo: Les Roberts

In recent years, here on the Wirral, Goldfinches have arrived at my feeding station in groups of up to a dozen at a time and continue to do so. Until about a year ago Greenfinches also came in ‘gangs’. In recent months though I am not sure I have seen any. Have they succumbed to the infection that is proving deadly to them right around the country? Small groups of Starlings visit only very occasionally, House Sparrows now never and Blue Tits have been hard to spot, but two appear now as I look.

However, in consolation, a solitary Nuthatch is starting to be a regular visitor to the sunflower seeds. Wood Pigeon numbers are almost at a nuisance level, I count seven as I write this, perfectly detailed, dusty imprints are left when they fly into our windows after being spooked by a Sparrowhawk.  Blackbirds still chase each other and nest regularly in the Firethorn. Great Tits, Chaffinches, shy Collared Doves and Marsh Tits also attend. Very rarely a Spotted Woodpecker has browsed the Hawthorn trees and a male Bullfinch has, a few times, made a fleeting raid on the feeder, as have some Long Tailed Tits.

Blackcap. Photo: Les Roberts

I wonder how representative of other small gardens this all is, especially for those who feed birds daily. I also wonder whether it is too late to get the House Sparrow back but I do hope Greenfinch numbers recover and the secretive Wrens make themselves more visible once again. Maybe my photos will give some cheer.

Les Roberts

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