Song of spring has got quieter ‘‘

Box sets of classic TV shows that provide nostalgic glimpses of better times have become a lifeline for many people during the long days of lockdown.

But the grainy images and scratchy soundtracks of bygone comedies and dramas are also bringing home some stark messages about conservation.

One thing that soon becomes as obvious as the plot is the quality of the birdsong – a sound that’s becoming increasingly diluted in the 21st century.

It was the repetitive strains of chaffinches ringing out during a vintage crime drama I watched recently that made me prick up my ears. Male chaffinches, in their gaudy pink and blue feathers, have yet to start delivering their distinctive spring melodies – said to be set at the same tempo as a cricketer’s run-up to the wicket.

Hopefully, the lanes, parks and fields providing the backdrops to my lockdown walks will soon be filled with the catchy tune.

However, I have my doubts.

What has become worrying of late is the absence of the distinctive call of the chaffinch – a resounding “fink” that provides the origins of the word finch – or their appearance under the bird feeders, vacuuming up spilt seed.

Their long-term decline is something that has been charted by the world’s largest garden wildlife survey.

Today marks the climax of the RSPB’S Big Garden Birdwatch which sees more than 500,000 people coming together to count the feathered visitors to their homes, balconies and nearby parks.

Since the first participants began tallying species in 1979, a remarkable picture of the winners and losers in nature’s suburban survival struggle has emerged.

The plight of the house sparrow – down 53 per cent over the past five decades – has been well documented. The decline in the number of starlings, blackbirds and robins might come as more of a surprise.

The way garden chaffinch numbers have crashed by 65 per cent not only means nature’s songbook is all the poorer, but also calls for more scientific research to discover the reasons.

■■For more Big Garden Birdwatch details, see: rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

Chaffinch numbers have crashed by an alarming 65 per cent