Where have all the sparrows gone?
A couple of weeks ago they were talking on the news about the decline in the sparrow population here in France. There are a lot fewer than there used to be. A lot of people use insecticides and products which are not good news at all for anything which might happen to live in the garden. I’ve never used any products except a small amount of washing-up liquid on the roses to get rid of the greenfly and aphids. I thought that there were fewer sparrows because a pair of magpies had moved into the garden. When I put out anything for the birds the magpies take over. They are like a pair of gangsters.

Where you are, are the sparrows doing okay?

Who will love a little Sparrow?
Who's traveled far and cries for rest?
"Not I," said the Oak Tree,"
I won't share my branches withno sparrow's nest,
And my blanket of leaves won't warmher cold breast".

Who will love a little Sparrow
And who will speak a kindly word?
"Not I," said the Swan,
"The entire idea is utterly absurd,
I'd be laughed at and scorned if theother Swans heard."

Who will take pity in his heart,
And who will feed a starving sparrow?
"Not I," said the Golden Wheat
,"I would if I could but I cannot I know,
I need all my grain to prosper and grow."

Who will love a little Sparrow?
Will no one write her eulogy?
"I will," said the Earth,
"For all I've created returns unto me,
From dust were ye made and dust ye shall be."

Simon and Garfunkels lyrics are from this site.