Saving the sparrows

Recently an article was published in a well-known gardening magazine that illustrated the plight of a number of our garden birds. Two in particular - the house sparrow and tree sparrow - have suffered a lot with numbers dropping by as much as 70% over the last thirty years; tree sparrow numbers dropped by as much as 93% from 1970 – 2008.

In fairness, landowners have helped to increase the population of tree sparrows back up to approximately 400,000 birds by readjusting their land practices and land management plans. Famers have helped by using the countryside stewardship schemes which have enabled them to set aside areas of land for wildlife.

You can help the birds in your own garden by leaving small areas of rough grassland with native wildflowers and by combining native hedgerow mixes of holly, hawthorn and sloe. As well as providing important nest sites for birds, the hedgerows will also provide an important larder for many of our garden birds in the form of berries or insect larvae. During the summer, sparrows need to source a regular supply of insect larvae that comes in the form of lopper and winter moth caterpillars and many other small insects. These insects are a key food source that the adult birds use to feed their young; without it the young will die.

Encouraging a healthy population of nesting birds will help the gardener to control many of the pests that are the bane of gardeners up and down the country. The combination of native wildflowers will also provide a food source in the shape of insects and seeds.

Another reason why the number of sparrows has dropped over the years in the UK is due to the design of many modern houses which prevent nesting birds taking up residence in the roof. At RHS Garden Harlow Carr we are slowly but surely building the number of nesting tree sparrows back up to a reasonable number. Last year, ten nest boxes were used by nesting tree sparrows in the garden. Unlike a lot of bird species, tree and house sparrows are sociable birds and will nest close to each other, so it’s a good idea to use specially designed nest boxes that are divided up into three individual sections, providing nesting sites for three families of birds. You can buy these boxes from the RSPB, the BTO and many garden centres.

We can also help to increase the population of garden birds by leaving our herbaceous borders uncut over the winter period. At Harlow Carr we are only now just beginning to cut back the herbaceous borders after leaving them all winter to provide seed heads and areas for insects to overwinter. We have found that some of the birds are particular to some plants when feeding during the winter: goldfinches seem to prefer the seed heads of Inula magnifica while bullfinches like the fruit on the Himalayan honeysuckle. By leaving a good selection of herbaceous plants, we can

provide an excellent source of food and cover for an even wider range of birds and also an important refuge for the beneficial garden insects such as ladybirds and lacewings.

Jobs for the week

* Check fences and garden structures after strong winds

* Adjust and stake any trees and shrubs that may have broken free in the wind

* Check for waterlogging in and around plants; dig a soak-away to divert flood water

* Cover areas of soil with polythene or fleece to warm up the soil prior to the sowing of early vegetables from seed

* Put up nest boxes for birds

* Sow sweet peas under gentle heat

* Sow lobelia and begonias from seed.

With thanks to Andrew Willocks, Horticulturist at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

DIARY DATES

Until 26 Feb: Bath House Gallery & Library: Gardens Behind Barbed Wire A remarkable piece of World War One history is told in this exhibition. ‘Gardens Behind Barbed Wire’ tells the ‘forgotten’ story of an intrepid group of British men who set up a horticultural society in the Ruhleben internment camp in Germany and helped to feed their fellow prisoners throughout the War. Normal garden admission.

Saturday 28 - Sunday 29 January, 11am - 3pm: Grow & Show Weekend Join writer and broadcaster Martin Fish and a panel of gardening experts for a weekend of no-nonsense advice on how to grow your own fruit and vegetables. No matter what size of plot you have – from a window box to a spare bed or allotment – come along for practical talks and demonstrations. There’s also a chance to put your questions to the experts at a special grow your own Q&A. Normal garden admission.