First Hawfinches of the Autumn (1 Viewer)

Just walking back through the park which my flat faces onto, when I picked up a series of familiar whistles, and looked up to see a flock of about 20 Hawfinches fly over, and watched another dozen sitting in the top of their favourite perch - a very tall old Robinia tree. This is the first lot of the autumn. They nest up in the Buda Hills which are immediately behind where I live, and spend a lot of time in and around the park in autumn and winter. I've even had them on the food and perching on the balcony to get at it on occasions during the serious winter cold spells. Other birds in and around today were a pair of Jays, a female Great Spotted Woodpecker in the front garden, and Gt and Blue Tits. Otherwise it's quiet - still plenty of foos around for most things, as the night-time temp hasn't dropped below about 8 degrees C here yet.
Best
David

Hi David, well you lucky person to find a flock that size of Hawfinches, they are a lovely bird. There is a small woodland about 15 mile from were i live that has had good sightings of these bird's, but alas the last 18month's they have become harder & harder to find. So after reading your post it has given me the insperation to go have another try, thanks.
bert.

Hawfinches etc

bert said:

Hi David, well you lucky person to find a flock that size of Hawfinches, they are a lovely bird. There is a small woodland about 15 mile from were i live that has had good sightings of these bird's, but alas the last 18month's they have become harder & harder to find. So after reading your post it has given me the insperation to go have another try, thanks.
bert.

Click to expand...

Well, Bert, I don't have Hawfinch on my British list. The only place I ever went where they were supposed to be 'easy' was the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire...but never managed. I saw my first in Serbia back in about 1984, and since moving to Hungary in 1998 they have been a regular part of my life. And since moving to this flat two years later, an often daily winter pleasure. Such gorgeous birds, with that huge bill and the bright markings. Rather like a minature auk, I always feel with that fast wing-beat, stubby body way of flying.
Part of the pleasure of having lived outside the UK since 1977 is that much of what I see as 'normal' is a rarity back in 'the old country'. However, I have to say that on my annual working trips back to the UK every summer in Norwich, I delight in seeing Dunnocks on the University lawns every morning. In Serbia they were montan birds, here in Hungary I've yet to see one....but I can go a kilometre and see Middle-spotted, Gery-headed, Black and Syrian Woodpecker.........horses for courses.

Cheers

David