More Than Sparrows

The Birds of Dorset (published 2004) describes the status of House Sparrow thus: 'Abundant resident'. However, the most recent Dorset Bird Report that I possess (2020) says this: 'Common, but declining breeding resident'. Common, but...

Yes, 'but' is a word frequently linked with the status of House Sparrow. Here are some random data regarding our familar, chirpy friend.

First up, culled from various Dorset sources, figures for post-breeding flock peak counts at Portland and Durlston, plus Portland Bird Observatory annual ringing totals from 1978...

Hopefully that's fairly legible. It rather looks like House Sparrow numbers fell off a cliff around the mid-1970s to early 1980s at both locations. However, for something even more dramatic, here's an example from central London. Specifically, Kensington Gardens, where I think it was Max Nicholson who originally organised annual autumn counts in November. These numbers all from The Birds of London (2014) and The State of the Nation's Birds (2000)...

Because I'm too lazy to do a massive load of research, these examples will have to suffice, but it is safe to say that House Sparrows have done pretty badly in a lot of places. And while various likely causes are suggested, it often comes across as rather speculative. It 'may' be this, or 'possibly' that, or 'perhaps' a combination of several, and so on.

Anyway, apart from an excuse to show you those jaw-dropping London figures, the main reason I mention the humble spadger is to lead in to some pleasing by-catch of the Bridport Bird Club's survey of the area's House Sparrow winter roosts. Poking around the quiet, unbirded corners of the local area has produced 2 Firecrests so far. Nice, but not unexpected perhaps. The same cannot be said for Luke Phillips' discovery a couple of days ago: 3 Dartford Warblers together! A superb local record. I went for a look yesterday, and found at least two of them. They were super-skulky though...

One Dartford Warbler. The only photo opportunity I got.

Unfortunately they are in neither of my Patchwork Challenge patches, but excellent local birds all the same. Their discovery illustrates the rewards to be had from searching every nook and cranny. For a variety of reasons the habitat they are in is likely to be temporary, but right now it is leaping with birds. And until yesterday I had no idea it was there. At least 20 Reed Buntings, plus 2 Redpolls (scarce locally) made for an entertaining visit. Makes you wonder what else might be lurking out there, right? Like this, from a bog-standard town park in Exmouth yesterday...

A lot of birders of my generation saw their first Olive-backed Pipit about 38 years ago in Bracknell, Berkshire, in a back garden. I've also seen one in some random bit of Epping Forest, an equally unexpected location. Yep, almost anything can turn up almost anywhere. Brilliant stuff!

This morning I tried a little seawatch at West Bay, hoping once again for some cold-weather movement. It was worth the effort, with 4 Pintail the highlight. Also significant were 7 Red-throated Divers, 12 Teal and 5 Golden Plover, with 5 Med Gulls, a Brent Goose and a Common Scoter making up the also-rans. The three Purple Sandpipers were together on the harbour wall, and a Little Egret flew in and landed on one of the rocky groyne-things...

Little Egret context shot.

Chilly again tonight. Another early seawatch, probably...