The received wisdom from the RSPB suggests that the UK population of house sparrows has declined dramatically in recent years.  This seems to be true for London and the south east, but I'm not so sure that it's also true for the Yorkshire Dales.  Each morning I let my hens out to forage in the croft opposite the house and scatter a large scoop of mixed corn for them to find.  This helps to encourage natural foraging behaviour, keeps them occupied and less inclined to aggression with each other and supplements their feed.  The local sparrow population quickly found this free breakfast and prefer the mixed corn to the wild bird feed on the bird table.  As soon as I open the proven house door each square of the goatyard stock wire fence is occupied by its own sparrow bouncing up and down in eager anticipation.

Just now this resident flock is supplemented many times over with fledglings who are clearly being instructed by the adults about the bounty that arrives each morning.  These youngsters are precocious and have yet to develop a real fear of humans as witnessed yesterday morning when one settled on my right boot in its excitement at the arrival of corn.  It sat there looking up at me with one eye then clearly thought better about the suitability of its perch and hopped off.

These tiny birds seem totally oblivious to the hens stomping about amongst them, but they quickly leave when the crows come down to feed.

I was on a path up above Helwith Bridge last evening heading along the parish boundary towards Penyghent.  The weather was chill and overcast with just the occasional glimpse of sunshine.  The air was full though with the sound of birds settling down for the night.  We saw and heard Stonechat, Skylark and the inevitable Curlew.  A wonderful prelude to a well deserved pint in the Helwith Bridge Hotel.

Ian