Tree Sprogs

If you want to see wintering Tree Sparrows in Bedfordshire you have to look at game strips. It seems that almost all of the most recent records of wintering birds in Beds have come from people looking at finch flocks around game strips.

This is again true for this winter. I was told there was one Tree Sparrow back at the Castle Farm game strips near Tingrith over a month ago. I finally got along there last weekend, and after a little bit of searching found at least fifteen of these great little birds sheltering in the hedges.

Tingrith is about half an hour away from where I live, so was pretty chuffed to hear that someone had also seen some about a mile from my house! Armed with good directions, I pottered along there at lunchtime today and found one of these hansom Sparrows cavorting with the commoner House Sparrows. I even managed a shot (see above).

The challenge now, is to make them stay the winter and work out where they breed...