UKC

Hawfinches

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 McHeath 25 Jan 2019

We used to have these fairly regularly at the bird table in the late 60s; I hadn't seen one since until yesterday in a park in Berlin, where I've been living since the early 80s. Just wondering - how common/rare are they in the UK these days? Lovely birds!

 Alyson 25 Jan 2019
In reply to McHeath:

As a breeding resident they're rare (estimates are between 500 and 1000 pairs though they're elusive birds so numbers are uncertain). In winter we get a lot more as visitors, so the population rises. I've been birdwatching my whole life and only seen them once! That involved making a deliberate trip to a known site where they had regularly been seen feeding.

OP McHeath 25 Jan 2019
In reply to Alyson:

Thanks! I just read the wiki article, which is very informative about distribution - they do seem to be very localised.

Edit - the one I saw was following a greater spotted woodpecker around on a high horizontal oak branch; odd behaviour, but the woodpecker didn't seem to mind!

Post edited at 22:41
In reply to McHeath:

Uncommon and very localised. 

In North Wales there's a small population in the Conwy Valley, usually around Caerhun /Llanbedr y cennin but at the moment showing well by the bridge in Llanrwst. There are also some near Dolgellau. Almost exclusively seen around churches with mature Yew trees. 

OP McHeath 25 Jan 2019
In reply to Ron Rees Davies:

Thanks Ron! There are a few mature Yews in that park, I'm off with the binoculars tomorrow for a search.

 Rob Parsons 25 Jan 2019
In reply to Ron Rees Davies:

> ... Almost exclusively seen around churches with mature Yew trees. 

I was told to associate them with Hornbeam trees.

Mind you - I've never actually seen a Hawfinch, despite spending time looking out for them ...

 

 alan moore 25 Jan 2019
In reply to McHeath:

Saw one once in 50 years and only because I was with my avid twitcher brother.

 badgerjockey 26 Jan 2019
In reply to Ron Rees Davies:

Agreed. The only ones I’ve ever seen were in churchyards. Just like the only times I’ve seen waxwings have been in supermarket car parks.

 Billhook 26 Jan 2019
In reply to McHeath:

I've been birdwatching (not twitching though) most of my life and I've only ever seen a small group in the one location - a garden with Yew trees..

There are 'hotspots' in the UK where you are more likely to see/hear them as they do tend to be localised.

Your hearing is likely to be of much more use than eye sight for locating birds and especially Hawfinches as when they are feeding on Yew seeds you can hear the birds cracking the seeds for someway off.

 Wimlands 26 Jan 2019
In reply to McHeath:

Hi,

last year the was a huge influx of them over the winter, apparently lack of food on the continent drove them here.

https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/natureshomemagazine/posts/five-top-...

 

 

 Bob Windsor 26 Jan 2019

I saw a pair last year,the first time I'd seen them.The location was in the local paper and when I arrived the venue was packed and most of the people there said it was the first time they'd seen them.The R.S.P.B chaps told us approximately when they'd turn up on their foraging trip and they turned up right on schedule.

OP McHeath 26 Jan 2019
In reply to Bob Windsor:

Thanks for all the replies! I just got back from the park; after about an hour's unsuccessful searching I finally found three, sure enough sitting near the top of a big Yew tree! Very unobtrusive birds, I wouldn't have noticed them if I hadn't been looking for them. 

@Billhook - you're right about the importance of hearing, it just led me to the flock of long tailed tits which I see every 1-2 weeks; definitely one of my favourite birds! And we have a big population of nuthatches which were being very vocal this morning.

 wercat 26 Jan 2019
In reply to McHeath:

Damn, this thread has just reminded me of the "achievement" I wanted to record from 2018, seeing and hearing a pair of Ring Ouzels on Skye last year.

 Tony Jones 26 Jan 2019
In reply to wercat:

Ring ouzels: wonderful. And, to my surprise (as I'm not a regular visitor), all over Stanage Edge in the spring.

 Michael Hood 26 Jan 2019
In reply to Tony Jones:

Burbage as well.

 bonebag 27 Jan 2019
In reply to Tony Jones:

Yes, I have seen Ring Ouzel at Stannage while out climbing. Also around the Roaches and Axe Edge on passage in early April. Beautiful birds.

 bonebag 27 Jan 2019
In reply to McHeath:

I have yet to see a Hawfinch but have not looked so hard. Have spent my life bird watching while out walking and climbing. Meant to be some near Cromford in Derbyshire. As for Waxwings - yes, in car parks or roadside in town on trees with berries.

In reply to McHeath:

Pfft. Hawfinch, smwafinch! I had a goldfinch on my bird feeder on Thursday*

*feeling chuffed (chough, geddit?) as they are my favourite bird and they visit once in a blue moon.

Post edited at 07:21
OP McHeath 27 Jan 2019
In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Ok, your tern to crow!

 LeeWood 27 Jan 2019
In reply to McHeath:

> you're right about the importance of hearing,

they do have a distinctive call too - a metallic 'spink' which sometimes alerts to their presence up in some tree top; unfrequent sightings here in SW France 


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