Tuesday, October 17, 2017

πŸ“– Diary #64 ~ Napton Church

πŸ‚ ⛅16C Tuesday 17th October 2017 ~ More of a chill in the air this morning as I checked out the marina grounds before heading up to Napton-on-the-Hill. Several Pied Wagtails around the car park, a Chiffchaff feeding along the west bank and several Redwing taking advantage of the hawthorn berries was the best I could manage. Still waiting for that first Fieldfare of the autumn!

Redwing ~ Now arriving in numbers
I parked at the churchyard and had a casual wander around the grounds. The regular duo of Mistle Thrush were making their usual racket and several Redwings were flitting through the treetops. A Coal Tit calling, Nuthatch and a few Chaffinch before I bumped into Peter Finden, who I'd last met at Frampton Marsh a few months back. We spent a good while chatting before we both reacted to a couple of birds that suddenly flew into the nearby treetops. I think we got excited straight away, largish finch, big head, thick neck, short tail and distinct wingbars! As we carefully manoeuvred around a few yew trees, there in the treetops a Hawfinch! There were two birds, which sadly departed almost straight away but nevertheless offered an all to brief but excellent view. My first Warwickshire Hawfinch in 12years of living here! Despite being joined a short while later by Richard Mays and Dave Cox, who'd also had a Hawfinch sighting here last week, we sadly never managed to relocate.