2 January 2018

17 Hawfinch!

Date: 2nd January 2018
Location: Newton Park Lakes
Weather: Cloudy, Light Rain and Windy
Species Highlights: 4 Coal Tit, 2 Bullfinch, 15+ Greenfinch, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Raven, 1 Kestrel, 21 Yellowhammer, 1 Buzzard, 26 Meadow Pipit, 15 Starling, 31 Common Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 1 Green Woodpecker, 24 Teal, 1 Goosander, 1 Treecreeper, 24 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 17 Hawfinch


Observation: First patch walk of the year planned after the rain had stopped, we received a tweet from Glen and a text from Robert, letting us know the Hawfinch were present and in large numbers.

We grabbed our stuff and left rushing all the way out the Lakes, it was raining so not alot about until the Globe Fields, still large numbers present mostly Black-Headed Gulls and Lesser Black-Backed Gulls today. We spotted 1 Yellowhammer in the normal bush, then they kept arriving with a final count of 21 in the hedgerows sheltering from the wind/rain.

On arrival to the Lakes, we spotted Robert/Anne and the rest of the BOC.

As the rain was stopping we slowed down after a chat with the BOC. Bottom Lake had 2 Mallard, 2 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron and Billy (the Mute Swan).

Top Lake, had 3 Mute Swan, 34 Mallard, 3 Moorhen, 24 Teal, 2 Grey Heron and a single Goosander (Male), there was a earlier Female Goosander, but not present once we arrived.

Walking around to the top of Top Lake, we heard some Hawfinch and seen a large flock fly into the top of some distant tree's. Most of them were Greenfinch with only 2 Hawfinch amongst them, after some pictures we headed to the Keep, to find the remaining numbers.


There were a few different flocks which would keep flying to nearby tree's, the first flock settled in the tree next to the Keep, but they were another flock of Greenfinch with a single Hawfinch.



After about 20 minutes of walking back and forth searching the flocks, we finally tracked down the Hawfinch flock!



Although not the full count in pictures, we got a confirmed count of SEVENTEEN Hawfinch! 

They landed a few times mixed with Greenfinch, but a count of 17 Hawfinch, was amazing and has more than tripled since the 26th December. A total of 15 Greenfinch counted also.

As we were leaving a few Hawfinch popped up in the tree's behind the Keep and were feeding on the tops.



We are both VERY happy and will keep checking back with them to see if numbers grow further or even stick around.

We walked back along the College Drive (both smiling away), a small flock of Starling were feeding in the fields, with Rooks, Jackdaw and Gulls (mostly Common Gulls)

Back into the Village, with the light fading, there wasn't alot spotted apart from the resident Kestrel and some Redwing.

A small flock of Meadow Pipit ended the walk on a steady 49 species. A superb walk and a great start to the year!

Thanks For Looking! 
&
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