The dramatic decline of the house sparrow has been the subject of much press coverage in recent months. Many theories have been put forward to explain the widespread disappearance but from my observations, little colonies will hang on, sometimes in the most unlikely places.

One such family appears to be thriving in the busiest part of Wimbledon town centre.

Directly across the road from the railway station few trees line the pavement giving sparse shelter. Below them, a little hedge and some bushes grow behind iron railings and it is there that the sparrows congregate.

They are seemingly unconcerned about the constant deafening roar of speeding traffic with towering buses moving by only inches away. People stream past but, amid all the hustle and bustle, the parents fly backwards and forwards feeding their offspring waiting with open mouths and fluttering wings.

Sparrows have of course always enjoyed a close association with man but this little family's choice of location seems to be quite exceptional. Another larger, very vocal colony can be found in Kingston town centre by the church while those living among houses adjacent to Rushmere show little sign of declining.

Visitors to the Windmill caf on Wimbledon Common can feed sparrows and chaffinches scavenging among the outside tables, although numbers there too are fewer than in previous years, which is somewhat surprising with so much horse feed grain available around the stable complex.

May 30, 2003 11:00