Dutch Birding volume 37 (2015) no 2

Spanish Sparrows in the Netherlands in 1997-2014

The first Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis in the Netherlands was a male which stayed near De Cocksdorp on Texel, Noord-Holland, on 4-15 May 1997. The second concerned a male at Camperduin, Noord-Holland, on 13 May 2000. In 2009, an influx occurred with up to 10 individuals (maximum of four males and six females) at Eemshaven, Groningen, on 9-12 April, a male near Den Hoorn on Texel on 17-20 April and a male at Maasvlakte, Zuid-Holland, on 20-27 April (seen only on 20-21 and 26-27 April). On 6 May 2010, a female was identified and documented by photographs and sound-recordings at IJmuiden, Noord-Holland. The first autumn record concerned a male at Maasvlakte on 26-30 October 2014. All records are documented in this paper, with emphasis on the birds for which no paper had been published previously (ie, all three records in 2009 and the bird in 2014). For the 2009 and 2014 records, full descriptions are given and the identification and ageing are discussed. Elsewhere in north-western Europe, there are 15 records up to 2014 of which 10 in Britain. Other records are from Finland (one), north-western France (May 2007; excluding up to six birds in May 1995 presumed to have been ship-assisted), Norway (two) and Sweden (one). When it comes to individuals, the Netherlands account for 16 out of 31 birds recorded in north-western Europe.

Enno B Ebels, Joseph Haydnlaan 4, 3533 AE Utrecht, Nederland
(ebelswxs.nl)
Gert-Jan Versteeg, Frederiksweg 27, 9831 NJ Aduard, Nederland
(gjversteeggmail.com)
Garry Bakker, Dahliastraat 33, 2761 HB Zevenhuizen, Nederland
garry.bakkergmail.com)