Hawfinch Hunt in Forest of Dean

Welcome to the Forest of Dean

Nagshead

Hawfinch

Mandarin

Mandarin

Crabtree Hill

An early start took me down the M5 on Saturday for a day in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire. I arrived at an undisclosed site at around 8.30am and didn't have to wait to long to catch a view of my first Hawfinch of 2015. Hawfinches are difficult to see if you don't do your research. I estimated I saw 7 in total but the best image I could get ways at a very long range. You can clearly see the birds powerful frame and huge beak. In the same area I also picked up a small number of Crossbills and Siskin.

Nagshead was very quiet in terms of people and it was good to hear the calls of so many birds including Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Long Tailed Tits and Chaffinches. A number of Greater Spotted Woodpeckers were also observed.

I then headed up to Cannop Ponds where I completed a long circular walk along the pond edges and through the forest. This area is great to catch up with Manadrin at close quarters who were joined on the ponds by five Greylags, Tufted Duck, Mute Swans, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard and Little Grebe. On the walk back I picked up a Marsh Tit which was a bonus for the year list.

Next stop was Crabtree Hill for a bit of a Shrike search. Sadly despite a really good look it seems the Shrike had moved on to a different area of clear-fell. Passing Woorgreens Lake a Lesser Black-backed Gull flushed 30 Snipe which took flight and flew in formation before landing again with a single Goosander within the same scope view.