Hawfinches In Conwy, North Wales (1 Viewer)

[markgriff]

Does anyone out there have a six figure grid reference for the churchyard where the Hawfinches are being reported from in the Conwy valley?

I've been accross there on few occassions over the last coulpe of winters but never had any luck. I found a few churchyards and cemetrys in the area but I wasn't sure which one I should be loitering around!

Any more precise directions or tips on what time of day is most reliable would be much appreciated.

Regards,

 

[dbradnum]

I'm by no means local to that area, but I'm pretty sure that Caerhun churchyard is the one at SH777705 (see <this map>). There's been up to eight there thus far in 2006 - I believe they feed under the Yew trees, but may be wrong on that last point.

edit: having looked at Birdguides, it looks as though the Hawfinches are also being seen somewhere in Llanbedr-y-cennin, which is only about a mile SW of Caerhun. Not sure where, though.

 

[dan pointon]

Hi Mark,

The Hawfinches can also be seen in the nearby village of Llanbedr-y-cennin, near the church there. They are often in the tops of the largish trees behind the churchyard, or in the churchyard itself. Llanbedr-y-cennin is uphill from Caerhun, i'm not exactly sure how you get there, hopefully someone else does, though if you park in pub car park (I think it's called The Bull) it may be easiest! However I would reccommend Caerhun to you as it is probably a better site. You park in the church c/pk, and it's easiest to view from the gate way, as entering the churchyard can scare these skittish birds.

Cheers

 

[Rob Smallwood]

The map is spot on.

View over the wall and listen first - once flushed they can be gone for a while.

They can be in the Yews or feeding on the ground yet be very illusive - yet the churchyard is tiny!

Llanbedr-y-Cenin is on the same map. Park at the Bull car park (but ask if not using the pub) then walk up the hill 30 yards, turn right and the chuechyard there is a good spot as are the gardens beyond the chuchyard visible from the wall of the churchyard or walk past the chuch, turn left at the fork past the grit box and check along there for about a mile, the garden on your left with a yew in can be good.

Avoid Sundays (although you may well still be lucky) in the churchyards for obvious reasons, and mornings have always been best for me, after noon they become hard to find.

Good luck!

 

[markgriff]

Many thanks for your replies. Hopefully I'll have better luck on my next visit !

Regards,

 

[dan pointon]

Avoid Sundays (although you may well still be lucky) in the churchyards for obvious reasons, and mornings have always been best for me, after noon they become hard to find.

Good luck!

Very good point!! Avoid Sundays like the plague!! An unbeleivable amount of people visit the church at Caerhun, and for the half hour before and after service, it's like Crewe Station, and not half noisy either, no chance of seeing the birds. Good luck!!

 

[neilmc]

Terrible isn't it how all these people who should be out worshipping Mammon at IKEA and Tesco turn up in churchyards on Sunday morning and make a nuisance of themselves, spoiling a perfectly good twitch. Don't they have "Songs Of Praise" to watch in their own homes??

 

[Rob Smallwood]

If they are not at Tesco & Ikea then at least they aren't asking you for the 30th time what you are looking at if you are watching waxwings/Pied Wags/roosting Lapwing etc. !!

Church on Sunday- it'll never catch on!