Wait Is Over

What a start to the New Year. After forty years of trying I finally obtained film of the elusive Hawfinch. On the one good day of the week I journeyed to the Northern Dales as I had done on many occasions before to try to locate Hawfinches. This time, shortly after dawn, up to five Hawfinches fed on the ground on the seeds of Hornbeams. It was a magical sight I thought I would never see and film and although they only fed for a matter of minutes it was a moment I shall remember for ever. That enormous bill and the way they can take off vertically will brighten up what has so far been an abysmal Winter.

In the garden a very large female Sparrowhawk caught a Starling and flew off with it still squawking. Three Wood Pigeons fed together on one day and a Fox walked along the rear of the garden in the middle of the afternoon on another day. Sadly a cat was seen to vacate the garden with a bird on another occasion. Grey Squirrels have now peaked at three which is, of course, three too many.