Hawfinch: I had a few days in Chepstow with work event and managed to get out and do a mini twitch for the famous Parkend hawfinch which was around 30 minutes up the raod from where I was staying.
Hawfinch are a declining woodland bird, but do have a stronghold in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. Trees such as hornbeam and wych elm that produce a high amount of seed are particularly important for hawfinch.
These tree species are becoming less frequent within and is creating food shortages, so conservation and woodland management charities have been working to plant more of these seed-rich trees in the Forest of Dean, to be able to give hawfinch better access to food throughout the year and stabilising the hawfinch population across the Forest of Dean.
One of the best places across the whole of the UK to see these birds is at Parkend, a small village, located at the foot of the Cannop Valley. Close to the cricket pitch lies a row of mature yew trees situated close to a road where. you can park, wind down the window and see the birds at close range without disturbing them.
My main tip is to "stay in your car" there's no need to get out and spook them, you can get some sensational views and photos from the car.
When I arrived there were four cars already parked up and positioned and I managed to find a space and almost immediately a male and female hawfinch landed besides the car.
I've seen dozens of hawfinch in my time, but never like this, never at such a close range. I had five birds possibly six, two females and more male birds with one mighty aggressive male that was chasing most of the other males away from the ground.
The hawfinch has a large, cone-shaped bill that's strong enough to crush cherry stones. Its bill is its most striking feature. The hawfinch's bill is oversized and powerful and can exert a pressure of over 150 pounds per square inch. This is enough to crush an olive stone, and the equivalent of a thousand times its own weight!! crazy!!
I've seen dozens of hawfinch in my time, but never like this, never at such a close range. I had five birds possibly six, two females and more male birds with one mighty aggressive male that was chasing most of the other males away from the ground.
The hawfinch has a large, cone-shaped bill that's strong enough to crush cherry stones. Its bill is its most striking feature. The hawfinch's bill is oversized and powerful and can exert a pressure of over 150 pounds per square inch. This is enough to crush an olive stone, and the equivalent of a thousand times its own weight!! crazy!!
