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Sparrows

One thing that has always suprised me is that I never seem to see any sparrows in the garden despite there being plenty elsewhere in the village. Easter was a welcome exception with a pair coming into the garden for just a few minutes. Despite the variety of food on offer they haven't returned. The feeders still attract tits, more commonly great tits than blue at the moment, goldfinces usually as singletons or pairs and the regular pair of bullfinches. At ground level blackbird, robin and dunnock are resident as well as visits from wood pigeons and magpies. In the front garden the robins seem to have raised a brood as I saw one in juvenile plumage in the quicnce trees this morning. I have tried a new addition to the various feeds that I put out. A mix of pinhead oatmeal and Haith's softbill food. Scattered lightly on a ground feeding tray it usually goes quite quickly. On thing that I have learned is not to concentrate the softbill food. A small heap tends to be untouched but mixed with another feed and scattered in is popular.

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