Tree Sparrow - 1994

Scarce breeding resident, winter visitor and passage migrant

Lockley et al. (1949) state that Tree Sparrows were first recorded at Marloes on 20 October 1933, and they also listed four other occurrences. Although increased observer cover has since shown them to be more frequent their full status is still not clear.

They bred at Skomer in 1964, near Houghton in 1966, at Templeton, Sandy Hill and Thornton in 1971, near Haverfordwest in 1987, at Pen Blewin and Pengawse in 1988 and at Marloes and Heathfield in 1990. They probably bred at Roch in 1988 and one was thought to have hybridised with a House Sparrow at Martin's Haven in 1965 and 1966. Tree Sparrows kept occurring in the Croesgoch/Mathry/Castle Morris area throughout the 1970s and 1980s, making it seem likely that they also bred in that region, but despite much searching no nests were found.

Small numbers pass through, from March to June and again from August to November, when they appear briefly on the offshore islands, prominent headlands and in coastal stubbles. They are also occasionally found feeding with finch flocks during the winter, usually in ones and twos. Sometimes up to ten are seen, and larger flocks have occurred: 32 birds were seen at Pengawse in February 1988 and 40 at Ratford Bridge on 27 January 1990.

 

Fieldwork 2003-07 (based on 478 tetrads) 

Red = breeding confirmed = 3

Orange = breeding probable = 1

Yellow = breeding possible = 2

Total tetrads in which registered = 6 (1.3%)

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire