The annual tree sparrow invasion is happening. I am regularly hearing tree sparrows flocks flying over Crail and they are in most of the unharvested wheat fields that remain around us. The call is like a house sparrow, just a harder and dryer “tack”, and when a whole flock is going over it sounds like a small machine gun as they all call rapidly. On the ground they are easy to identify – with a neat brown cap and black earphones. The juveniles of the year are dispersing and they all seem to accumulate in the East Neuk, stopping as they meet the sea. There should be some visiting bird feeders in Crail for the next month so it’s worth looking out for that neater looking sparrow on your feeder.
Tree sparrow
Wild Crail 
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