HIGH STREET BIRDS

Wildlife is not confined to the countryside.  Wild flowers grow in cracks in our pavements and along stone walls. And birds enjoy the green spaces of gardens, which are frequently more wildlife friendly than intensively farmed agricultural land.

Here are two bird species which enliven a walk down the High Street at this time of year.

We have our resident Jackdaws, acrobats of the air.  When you hear their cheerful 'CHACK' calls, look up to see the family groups chatting and squabbling on the chimney pots.  

Unfortunately if your chimney is not protected, they may well drop sticks down until one lodges and forms the foundation for a nest.  This can be a problem if the chimney is still in use as (a) you may get a lot of smoke in the house and (b) you may get a whole nest including birds in your fireplace.

Much as I like jackdaws, if your chimney is still in use, protect it as in the pictures below.  

  

Photo: Walden Chimney Sweeps

The other High Street bird that you may hear and see at this time of year is the pied wagtail.  They chirrup from the rooftops and forage on the pavements for insects, running after them and suddenly stopping, with their tails pumping up and down with excitement.

Photo: Mike Read

We have pied wagtails all the year round but probably not the same ones.  Those that breed in Britain fly down to the Mediterranean while our winter visitors come from Scandinavia or Eastern Europe.

I have occasionally seen whole flocks of them twittering in streetside trees at dusk before they roost for the night.