The Sparrows Return

For the last three days there have been no sparrows - not in my garden, not in the silver birch trees nor on the fences, not in the hedge where most of them nest. No fluttering of wings, no chirpy contact calls, no arguments at the feeders, no fledgings begging, nothing. Well not quite nothing. Yesterday I did see one lone young sparrow accompanied by a blue tit and a pair of chaffinches, but that's been all. And most other birds have been conspicuous by their absence, too. The weather's been really bad and I could understand a certain amount of huddling and sulking, but it's been quite eerily quiet, and I don't like it.

This morning, however, despite the pouring rain I woke to hear sparrows chattering outside, and then a much more piercing sound - a flock of 19 starlings, plus one jackdaw, on the roof of Hugo's house opposite. And the sparrows are back just as if they had never been away. At one time I counted 15 of them all trying to get to the feeders at the same time.

I wonder where they went? Down to the woods, perhaps, to look for berries? I didn't see them there - in fact it has been just as unnaturally lacking in birdsong there as here. I suppose that now they are no longer tied to sitting on eggs and feeding babies the whole flock could be taking off and being more adventurous, but then I'd expect, say, the Broadway playing field flock to pop over here, and I didn't see any sign of them on the way to Churchtown yesterday.

After yet another damp day the sun has come out this evening and it looks quite nice out there. If only it would last...