[Elusive]

I live on the side of a wooded valley, which also has open fields and scrub. Yesterday morning I took a stroll along the valley, and this is what I saw:

More than 5 birds: House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Magpie, Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, Woodpigeon

2 to 5 birds: Blackbird, Robin, Coal Tit, Wren, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch

Single sightings: Bullfinch, Dipper, Heron, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Yellow Wagtail

But... not a single Dunnock or Tree Sparrow. Dunnocks were reasonable common here a few years ago, even in the garden, but now I can't remember the last time I saw one.

[Brian Stretch]

Cannot account for the lack of Dunnocks, but Tree Sparrows are becoming increasingly scarce. For example, in Worcestershire they are practically extinct.

I suspect your Yellow Wagtail was a Grey Wagtail. Yellow would very unusual at this time of the year.

Brian
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