A Gloucestershire Winter’s Day

17 Jan - A rarity by recent standards, a forecast for a sunny, fine winters day. I headed early for Parkend in the Forest of Dean, and at sunrise 8 Hawfinches were perched up in the tall trees in the village. Several of us waited by the seeded area near the Yews and after false alarms and visits by the usual Nuthatches, Coal Tits and Chaffinches, and presaged by whirring flight and “ticking” calls, a single Hawfinch dropped in, no more than 20-25 feet away - a fairly dull bird, maybe a first-winter male, bit with the distinctive huge bill and beady eye. It gave good views for quite a few minutes, but its congeners stayed further away in the beech litter giving binocular views in the low sunlight as they hopped clumsily like small parrots. Disturbance increased as the morning progressed, and I moved up the hill to Parkend church where, despite the crowd of photographers, the local Crossbills flew over calling them, after a wait, dropped in to drink. Later in the afternoon I was in the Cotswolds where 2 elegant Short-eared Owls were hunting in good light before sunset, and were seen to catch a vole - and then as the light faded, a real bonus - a ringtail Hen Harrier came in low and circled before dropping in to roost, and then a Barn Owl flew across just prior to dark. Golden Plover and winter Thrushes also seen during the late afternoon. A very good day.