Madam,

To add to the concerns about the decline of songbirds raised on your letters page, I must add that climate change is affecting the lowest in the food chain dramatically.

There has been a rapid decline in the insects that feed the birds. Then there are dry spells that are unprecedented in Britain. To add to birds' problems there are corvids and cats.

Continuously full bird-feeders don’t help because they attract predators like a magnet. Better to feed enough in the morning to satisfy your local birds for the day.

I put the decline in thrushes down to slug pellets. These are applied to fields in spring; one pellet is enough to contaminate a whole swimming pool. If there is a dry spell as the young hatch out there are no snails then.

I watched a thrush collect snails one day and she carefully separated the snail into some for her and the choice bits she put on one side for the chicks.

Shortage of water is the crucial factor. So I have designed a shed with a shallow pond on top which 22 species of bird made use of.

Contrails from aeroplanes are the main cause of global warming so we should leave flying to the birds.

Yours etc,

Briony Davies, Blaenau Ffestiniog.

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