This once bubbling crowd of feathers waseverywhere in my childhood, to make me believe there would ALWAYS be a gang of them in gardens. Not so sadly, said my thoughts, as these drifted me home (yes still away from home this morning) to where a house sparrow or two is a rarity at my bird feeders these days.

Day two seemed to be heading in the direction of wildlife decline melancholy but not so for my Garden Team is now predominantly goldfinch, a bird I never saw in my childhood.

This abundance of this finch I guess was created by our love of garden feeders, proving that we can still make a difference for wildlife, if we follow the example set by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, by creating sustainable habitats as they have on Little Woolden Moss. This is a nature reserve that is a phoenix of wildlife rising from the destructive years of commercial peat extraction, which finally ended in 2018.

One day the house sparrow might elbow its way back into my life, if such conservation efforts can be followed.

To close a red kite has just drifted overhead, as I once more sit in my son’s conservatory. It is proof that it’s not too late for nature recovery, for after only a few decades of reintroduction and care, the red kite has elbowed its way into the skies in many parts of the UK.

If you want to make a positive difference for nature in the North West, you can support LWT's Step Up for Wildlife Appeal here.