In response to your article Sparrows take flight' (Times Group, June 27), I have been feeding the birds for many years and have always had plenty of sparrows, blue tits, robins, hedge sparrows, wrens, but not now.

I have put the loss down to the fact that the Mayor stopped people feeding the pigeons in Trafalgar Square, but now they come to the suburbs and are taking all the food put out for the small birds, particularly in the winter.Also there is so much building of houses and roads, plus traffic noise and lack of hedgerows and nesting facilities.

Now they are taking more and more of the Green Belt, where will it end? There will be not a tree or blade of grass or bird left in London soon. Please, please stop this dreadful disaster.

Phyllis Pugh

Squires Lane, Finchley

July 2, 2002 14:00