Hawfinches Still (Still)

Saturday 2nd - Sunday 3rd March 2013
A male Hawfinch - surely one of the most impressive British birds
The Hawfinches remain at Dimore playing field, with occasional views in the trees beyond the rear of my garden. At least one of the birds, a female, is colour-ringed, with a red ring on the right leg and a black (I think) ring on the left. This is the bird in the top photo on my previous post. If anyone manages to note any colour rings on the birds I would be interested as this could confirm their origin. The most likely scenario is that these are Dean birds. The Forest seems very quiet in terms of finches lately, having made a couple of visits recently, and I understand that Beech mast crop failed, forcing birds such as Hawfinches, to seek alternative food sources elsewhere. The garden was certainly teeming with birds over the weekend. On Saturday, four Lesser Redpolls added to the usual selection of late. The full list for Saturday was:
Lesser Redpoll 4
Siskin 4 (3 males)
Brambling 2 (females)
Greenfinch 17
Chaffinch 22 (inc. the partial albino)
Bullfinch 2 (pair)
Robin 1
Great Tit 1
Wood Pigeon 3 
Pheasant 1 (male, not a common garden record, just one previously)
Another of the male Hawfinch
Lesser Redpoll and Siskin duo at the Niger feeder
Lesser Redpoll
Cock Pheasant
Another recent garden visitor, seen at first light, a Wood Mouse:
Wood Mouse

On Sunday I visited WWT Slimbridge where three Avocets were on the edge of the river, viewed from Holden Tower. Makes me feel like spring really must be on the way.

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