Tree Sparrow flock multiplies

Tony & Richard report that the flock of Tree Sparrows has increased to 12 – seen on the track near the Brick Field this morning. Having now checked the record books, I can confirm that these are the first Tree Sparrows on Lundy since 2000 (though there was an unconfirmed report of one in early August 2008). A glance at Bird Atlas 2007–2011 shows that while range and numbers have decreased dramatically over most of southern England and Wales, they have increased substantially in eastern Ireland. With north-westerly winds having dominated over the last couple of weeks, Ireland may be the most likely origin for this remarkable influx.