IF you can remember the words of the following ditty, you are of a certain age. It goes something like this:
“Whichever ya gaw ya shoor ta meet a Geordie,
Thar’s shoor to be a Geordie in the clan,
Frame Lands End off ta Culla Coats
Frame Gallaway Bay ta John O’Gro-oats
Thar’s shoor ta be a Geordie in that land
A bit of good old Geordie twang.”
Now, you may be thinking what’s that got to do with wildlife?
Well, plenty, where one of the most common birds in Britain – the house sparrow – is concerned.
They not only thrive throughout Britain, but can be found worldwide.
There is probably no more familiar bird, living as it does in close proximity to humans.
So successful has this association been, it has spread as far as the USA and Australia where they have large populations.
They were originally introduced by sentimental Europeans, who did not envisage the millions of birds which have resulted from a few individuals taken there to soothe their homesickness. It is now the most widespread of all land birds.
It is their willingness to adapt to what humans have provided for their basic needs that is the secret to their success.
They have realised that man is wasteful with his food and there is always a meal to be had, no matter that their short stubby beaks identify them as seed eaters.
Their diet can include insects as well as many kinds of food that we eat (and discard).
We have provided nesting sites aplenty in respect of the homes and buildings that we live and work in. Not only that but many enter our lofts and roof spaces to roost in for the night in the warmth of our homes rather than in crevices in trees etc.
Let’s be honest, where would you rather be in the middle of winter?
Every nook and cranny is explored for a good night’s sleep. If you take time one winter’s evening about an hour before dusk, you will observe this activity. If roosting sites are not available large gatherings will utilise dense tree foliage.
At my home up to 20 or 30 roost in some dense Clematis, creating heat with the number of bodies crammed together. A few also bed down in a crevice under the eaves and sometimes laid in bed I can hear them having disputes about who’s going to sleep where.
House sparrows, for all their closeness to man, remain unobserved but there is nothing better than to see a male during the breeding season fluttering his wings in the hope he will attract a female to him.
Another thing about this cute, cocky little fellow is that he is an excellent father. When the young are hatched, he aids the mother in feeding the family and defending them.
Because they are relatively common, their lifestyles are easily observed and you will find observing them is a rewarding experience.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
