Tree Sparrow
Above: Tree Sparrow.
Below: House Sparrow
Tree sparrows are resident birds all year round but are not particularly common and appear to be declining in numbers overall.
They inhabit woodland or any area with plenty of shrubs and bushes as cover.
Both sexes are similar and resemble a male house sparrow. The back, tail and
wings are rusty brown with black or very dark brown streaks. The crown is milk
chocolate brown and it has a black bib. the cheeks are white or off white with a
brown/black central spot. the breast, belly and vent are white or off white with
a hint of a brown wash close to the top of the folded wing. The beak is black
and the legs are a pale pinkish/brownish colour. By contrast, the male
house sparrow (shown below left for comparison) has a grey crown and lacks the
distinctive central spot in the cheek. It also has much more grey, and hence
less brown, on it's back, especially the rump.
In the North West you can find tree sparrows at Mere Sands Wood and Martin Mere. A little further east, into South Yorkshire,
there is a thriving colony at Old Moor RSPB reserve. Old Moor is by far the best for photography but not without it's problems.
At Mere Sands Wood in Lancashire, you can find them using the feeding station, which consists of a few bird tables by the main
circular path. However, there are no hides or screens overlooking this area and the birds usually fly off before you get close
enough for a picture. Martin Mere, also in Lancashire and close to Mere Sands Wood, has a similar problem in that the tree sparrows
use the bird feeding tables here, which also have no hides or screen over looking them. Kingfisher hide is probably the best place
to get a photo at Martin Mere, and probably in winter when the trees are bare. There is a feeding table just near the hide and the birds
perch in the bushes in front of the hide on there way to and from the table. Strong sunlight can be a problem here so if you can go
on a bright but slightly overcast winters day so much the better. Unfortunately, it doesn't open until 9:30 so often the best time on
sunny days is gone before you can get access.
That leaves us with Old Moor, near Barnsley, in South Yorkshire. the best place by far from a photographers point of view. If I have a
criticism it is that the feeding station has a large hide but all of the feeders are at one end of it with no clear view from most of the
hide. It tends to get busy down that end of the hide so getting a good place may require a little patience. Also there are lots of feeders
in good, well lit positions, but I'm not a big fan of photos on feeders and prefer a more natural setting. There are not too many perches
at this location that are well lit. this is especially true in summer when the birds use the lower branches of
the surrounding trees and bushes.
When the trees above are in canopy these are heavily shaded and hence not great for photography. In winter, when the leaves are down, the light
is definitely better and good photo opportunities should be available with a little patience. The sun is not usually a serious problem at this
hide, at least it hasn't been when I've visited.
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