Hawfinch (1 Viewer)

[Lee Jankovskis]

Hello everyone. New member Lee J. Here, just wondering if anyone could advise of a suitable location for seeing Hawfinch? I live in the white Peak area of the Peak District in Derbyshire so somewhere reasonably close to there would be great. I've never knowingly seen a Hawfinch and would love to see some in the wild.
Thanks everybody.

 

[delia todd]

Hi again Lee.

Sorry, I don't know of any in Derbyshire. They can be a difficult species to track down, but winter is a good time to look for them. The only sites I can remember are the New Forest, Sizergh Castle near Leighton Moss in Lancashire. There's some in Northumberland somewhere, but I can't remember the site. The only population I know in Scotland is at Scone Palace near Perth.

The do seem to particularly like Beech woodland. You could have a look in Opus - this is a link to our article on Hawfinch : Hawfinch - BirdForum Opus

Hopefully someone from your area will pop in to help you.

 

[Lee Jankovskis]

Hi again Lee.

Sorry, I don't know of any in Derbyshire. They can be a difficult species to track down, but winter is a good time to look for them. The only sites I can remember are the New Forest, Sizergh Castle near Leighton Moss in Lancashire. There's some in Northumberland somewhere, but I can't remember the site. The only population I know in Scotland is at Scone Palace near Perth.

The do seem to particularly like Beech woodland. You could have a look in Opus - this is a link to our article on Hawfinch : Hawfinch - BirdForum Opus

Hopefully someone from your area will pop in to help you.

Thank you Delia, much appreciated. I was down in Ludlow earlier this year and I'd heard about the Hawfinch in the beech stands along the river but sadly didn't see any. Thanks anyway.

 

[delia todd]

Thank you Delia, much appreciated. I was down in Ludlow earlier this year and I'd heard about the Hawfinch in the beech stands along the river but sadly didn't see any. Thanks anyway.

You're welcome Lee. Just thought of another place,... Forest of Dean, Speech House or Park End Church, but I failed to find them. You really need to look when there's no leaves on the trees., and don't forget to look on the ground where there's fallen beech mast.

Learn their call too - there is a recording on that article.

 

[Mono]

A quick look on eBird shows three sites in Derbyshire with reported hawfinch in the last few weeks. Sorry couldn't figure out how to post a link from the eBird app!

 

[KenM]

Once upon a time…Cromford was the place in Derbyshire to see Hawfinch, don’t know if they still occur?

Best of luck Lee.👍

 

[Torchepot]

Don’t know if Clumber Park in neighbouring Notts is close enough, but the Chapel area is often a regular haunt.

 

[Lee Jankovskis]

Thanks for responses guys, we're only minutes from Cromford so I'm looking forward to getting amongst the beech trees and trying my luck spotting Hawfinch.

 

[dom.birda]

Probably a bit far, but if anyone else is interested there is a pair in Bramfield Church, near welwyn. I managed to get a good look (but not a good photo)

 

[KenM]

Probably a bit far, but if anyone else is interested there is a pair in Bramfield Church, near welwyn. I managed to get a good look (but not a good photo)View attachment 1423551

Looks like it’s on an Ash…such is their wont.👍

 

[Euan Buchan]

If you use Twitter follow HawfinchesUK they give you updates where they have been sighted.