Sunday November 19

As my last post suggested, I have been on a bit of a mission lately.

Last Sunday Dave and I checked out the Field Maples opposite the bus-stop on Alders Drive on the grounds that in their last incursion (2005) the Hawfinches had favoured that area. We found nothing. Then on Wednesday my visit to the paper-shop on Costers Lane was enlivened by the discovery of a Hawfinch in Field Maples there. Sadly I didn't have my optics with me, and the bird had flown off by the time I returned.

Since then I have surprised the shop's proprietor by turning up regularly with binoculars and camera around my neck, and have also searched the trees along Alders Lane with Richard B, all to no avail.

This morning I was approaching the shop when three Hawfinches launched themselves from a Field Maple. One landed in a maple across the road and perched perfectly while I scrabbled to put my camera on. Then, disaster, it took off as I was taking aim and flew to a more distant tree, where it landed and I got my record shot.

Hawfinch

It looks like a female to me. Males are even more spectacular.

One other thing to mention is that, right on cue, the first Blackbird was seen picking the berries off our Rowen. The tree will be stripped bare in a fortnight.