The great House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow mystery.......

Not many new birds around and nearly all of the waders have left or gone through with new arrivals now nesting they are more difficult see and I'm avoiding disturbing birds which will likely be sitting on a clutch or feeding chicks. My Corn Bunting surveys have started and already I've seen a 100% increase in singing males on one farm, numbers went from 1 to 2!

I've tried very hard to find out what has happened with the House Sparrow/Tree Sparrow pair and have watched and photographed many young sparrows and to date I haven't seen any young that look like hybrid or tree sparrow. It looked like that just before fledging that the Tree Sparrow disappeared but the female House Sparrow continued visiting the nest and other sparrows were seen listening to the chicks calling. I'll be keeping a watch on the nest site to see if the House Sparrow nests again but without any further evidence at this time it remains a mystery.

Meadow Pipit on the track to Scurdie Ness, Montrose

Shelduck on Montrose Basin

Still a few late Ringed Plover and Dunlin heading northwards along the coast

Grey Heron which was preening at the Old Harbour, Montrose Basin

Numbers of Greylag Geese at the Basin now around 26

Only the second time I've seen a Magpie in my garden in Arbroath which was chased off by the Starlings

Good to see a Coal Tit must be nesting close to home, a Blue Tit is also seen daily

House Sparrow drying out after one of this weeks showers

One of around 20 young House Sparrows creating havoc on my feeders and elsewhere

The Sparrows like the millet Olive continues to temp the budgie with!

Adult male House Sparrow

Tree Sparrow

Female budgie, still holding its own in the street and becoming increasingly confident