1330 - 1615 Cold....got colder.....bright initially....and cold
Possibly the last birding this year....so a visit to Bedgebury with DH for another go at Hawfinch now that so many have been reported coming in to roost....so...must stand a chance today...!
On the way in....a twenty minute walk from the layby north of the site....2 Buzzards were circling east....one was in a tree by the road when we left...
We found a Redwing, the only one seen today....then arrived at site having been told that our target bird had already been spotted on and off in the past hour....
After a 20 minute wait we had our first glimpse....a female....which dropped out of site almost immediately....it was distant so we hoped for better....another couple of views, distant again, were ok and things seemed to be improving...a Siskin insisted on sitting out in the sunshine....
Then the other birds started appearing, Chaffinches and a few Brambling....then more....Goldfinches were about too occasionally....more birders appeared for the roost....I found 2 Hawfinches with some Brambling in one of the oaks and got several of the others on to them....a call went up and I moved location to find a fabulous male Hawfinch sitting on top of a tree in the sunshine.....it sat there for about 30 seconds just as DH got there...it flew to another nearby tree but views weren't quite as good...
With Bramblings coming in thick and fast, at least 60 in one tree, with Chaffinches.....I found 3 Lesser Redpoll in the larches but they were quickly moved on by the arrival of Bramblings....during this the single Fieldfare called as it went over...
We had briefly heard the Ravens earlier but on the way out we had short glimpses and they were more vocal...
A good end to the year and a fine species to end with too....
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