Wild Things columnist Eric Brown visits Chislehurst Common on a fruitless search for one of Britain's most beautiful birds and hears news of a holly clearance programme aimed at attracting more species.

Spring is upon us with longer days, buds bursting, early flowers like crocus, daffodil, snowdrop and primrose waving their dainty heads and birds beginning to sing. My local robin is now in full voice and any day now I expect to hear the male blackbird belting out his sweet song.

Sadly the weather is yet to match these uplifting trends. In late February and early March, heavy rain turned footpaths to quagmires, filled potholes to flood roads and made many woodlands no-go areas for walkers. Seems as though April showers descended a month early, possibly as a result of climate change.

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This must have been a shock for incoming migrant birds. The swallow reported in Essex on January 6 may have overwintered but another spotted in Kent on February 23 was likely a genuine arrival from Africa. Also seen early were: wheatear (Shropshire, February 6) , osprey (Suffolk, February 6), sand martin (Kent, February 10), little ringed plover (Cheshire, February 17), house martin (Dorset, February 18 and sedge warbler (East Sussex, February 19).

Weather extremes fail to deter hardy keepers and volunteers who tend Chislehurst Common. When I visited, a lady dog-walker told me that many holly bushes were being removed. Apparently holly is an invasive species. Poor old Ilex aquifolium, I thought. Poor old holly blue butterflies, poor old blue tits, wrens, goldcrests and firecrests, I thought. Poor old redwings and other thrushes who feed on its berries and birds that nest in it. Was I mistaken about holly's appeal ? Later I consulted books about the best shrubs for birds. Holly is included in every list both as a possible food source and prospective nest site. One book stated: "Holly makes ideal nest sites as the sharp spikes of fallen holly leaves often deter cats and squirrels."

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Chislehurst Common's excellent newsletter says: "Woodland birds need somewhere to breed, feed and hide, so they prefer areas where there is undergrowth to provide cover and perching places." Perfect description of holly. It adds: "In areas cleared of holly that was choking out other growth, whips and saplings have been planted."

Maybe a greater variety of plants will attract more wildlife in time. On my walk I saw a sparrowhawk carrying bird prey in its talons and quite a few redwings. But of the holly-loving firecrest there was no trace. Firecrest, one of the smallest and most beautiful English birds, is a speciality of the common. I hope they don't miss the absent holly too much.