December 12th (GARDEN)

I now have coming into the garden up to three Reed Buntings (2 males and 1 female).The first to be seen this winter was a single female on the 5th of this month,three weeks later than the first bird last year.

I have noticed a big reduction in the number of Goldfinches coming into the garden this year,(perhaps many more than usual this year have moved south).

House Sparrows continue to do well, with up to thirty birds on the feeders at anyone time.

Starlings are also doing well,with the usual post breeding flock on our estate estimated to be over 1000 birds this year.When I see them all gathered on the roofs of the houses,I often wonder what it is about the estate they find so attractive.Perhaps some of it is to do with the feeding opportunities to be found in the lawns,as I have often seen up to 50 birds swarming all over some quite small ones.If most of the lawns are like mine,(I use no fertilizers etc),this could well account for the numbers present.