Nature Notes: Decline of the house sparrow

I MISS him with his friendly ways, took him for granted in bygone days, Listened to his cheerful chirping, feeding young on fence posts perching, Watched him checking out the leaves, heard him nesting in the eaves, Home was London streets both broad and narrow, scrounging titbits dropped from market barrow, At one time he was always there, now sadly he is so very rare, His absence fills my heart with sorrow so where did you go quaint cockney sparrow?