Hawfinch & co.

Saturday 19th January 2008

On a mild, mainly overcast but bright day with little wind it felt quite warm. The highlight of the day's birding was undoubtedly a female Hawfinch at Cassey Compton, near Withington. It was loosely associating with a Marsh Tit, six Long-tailed Tits and five Great Tits among Hawthorn scrub (SP048146) and perched obligingly to allow photography. Nearby were 30 Redwings, four Fieldfares and a Buzzard. Superb!

Sightings from earlier in the day were:
WWT Slimbridge, an Oystercatcher (pic. below), 14 Ruff, two Spotted Redshanks, 39 Redshanks, a Black-tailed Godwit and 16 Curlews.
At Cowley there were around 30 Bramblings with Chaffinches near Stockwell, and at least 60 Fieldfares were near Withington.

A Bumble-bee sp. was in my garden on the winter-flowering Honeysuckle.

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