3 minute read
Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE
Why this little bird gives us a reason to be cheerful
I’M writing this in the utter depths of January; the rain is pouring down outside and although it’s the middle of the day it may as well be dusk. But, amongst this gloom, there’s a small brown bird flittering around the garden that gives me the biggest grin and warms me inside – not because of what the bird is doing, but just because that bird is there.
We conservationists do doom and gloom very well. We’re always telling you that we are losing this and losing that. Sometimes I think we do it too much, to a point where people just switch off.
So have a bit of this folks, a real reason to be upbeat –because this bird, I’m convinced, has a knock-on effect.
“When I was a lad” (imagine a Yorkshire accent) this bird was far more numerous than it is today. On farmland and in suburban gardens it would have played host to the cuckoo. Not surprising then that over the years cuckoos have also declined, together with this host.
The bird I’m talking about is none other than the dunnock, formerly called the hedge sparrow, but to which it does not share any relationship whatsoever. Indeed, dunnocks are members of a group of birds called the accentors which are found worldwide.
It’s interesting that the dunnock is the only lowland accentor; all others in the group are mountain birds.
Looking back into my garden, that lone dunnock has been joined by two more; they are sculking around in the undergrowth searching out insects – classic behaviour. But it’s not just my own garden where I’ve noticed more dunnocks recently.
I’ve also seen them whilst visiting the many farms where I carry out owl advisory visits so it seems fair to conclude that dunnocks have become more a lot more obvious, at least in this area.
But I do need to be a bit careful here, as none of my observations are based around any science, just that pure oldfashioned gut feeling, when you see that something seems to be declining or increasing, based purely on sightings.
Certainly, in my garden, the dunnock had declined to the point where it was absent during the last two breeding seasons, so these new observations are real, and a boost. Some good news that deserves to be shared.
I wonder if anyone else has noticed more dunnocks in recent months? It would be great to hear from you if you have, or, indeed, if you disagree.
Please do not forget, for those of us blessed with gardens
By CHRIS SPERRING MBE
and farmland, that dunnock can be a very early breeder and, as its old name suggests, it not only feeds around the edge of woodland or scrubland and hedgerows, but also nests there as well.
In some more sheltered areas just recently, I’ve heard dunnocks singing already and, on one farm, I saw dunnocks chasing each other around, as a form of pre breeding activity. Dunnocks build a classic, small, cup-shaped nest of twigs lined with moss deep within the thickest part of the hedge, quite often low to the ground.
Remember that if the weather remains mild they may begin breeding as early as February; around the same time as blackbirds and robins. If you’re carrying out hedge or scrub management over this period, please check first that no birds are nesting.
Successful young productivity is essential to keeping the good news coming, and boy, do we need good news.
Dunnocks not only feed on insects but can and do take seeds from bird feeders, although they are normally the bird that flits around on the ground clearing up what the other birds spill.
Finally, as the days become longer, listen out for other birds warming up and practicing their songs ready for spring as it creeps ever closer. Keep smiling. . .
