The habits of our winter roosting birds vary widely between species. Take for example the wren. This tiny bird loses body heat rapidly in cold weather so the huddle together low down in hedgerows or they have been known to occupy a bird nesting box ,sometimes up to twenty at a time Other small birds including long tailed tits roost side by side in groups along a horizontal branch Redwings roost in hedges in flocks too but blackbirds and thtrushes spend nights alone.

From early autumn jackdaws that have been feeding in huge flocks i Richmond park and Wimbledon common gather together and fly fast direct and low towards their roosting site. At first, just two or three birds appear over my Wimbledon house and finally thousands fly on towards Morden and thence to their roosting site. Large flocks like this utter constant 'chack-chack' contact calls making quite a noise as the yfly above.

The next morning jackdaws re=trace their flight path but in leisurely fashion in ones and twos.

After flying far and wide foraging during the day, gulls, mainly black headed begin to form large flocks and fly in quite a leisurely manner often flying in circles but gradually drifting in the opposite direction to jackdaws o roost on open wter reservoirs near London airport.

One of the most remarkable adaptions belongs to he pied wagtail. by Wimbledon's town centre they roost in plain trees that heve lost all their leaves . Looking up. we can see their white breast shining but passers-by barely give them a glance . In the morning, most wagtails disperse widely except for a few individuals that trot around the station picking up crumbs dropped bu commuters hurrying for trains.

Many other town centres across Britain play host to thee large gatherings calling 'chiswick-chiswick' one anither hence the name ;chiswick flyovers'!!! Wood and feral pigeons also roost in large flocks for safety and warmth.

In my area, robins tend to sing all night near street lamps but keep to themselves.As winter wears on, song thrushes and blackbirds may begin to sing at first light to greet the dawn. Of course, during our summer, swifts in flocks always roost on the wing high above the earth and it is sometimes possible to hear them in the darkness.

Indeed, swifts do everything on the wing including mating, while starlings and swallows form large flocks with swallows roosting in reed beds around Capetown and starlings likewise in reed beds around Britain.