Hawfinch!

After a quick tip off from Jono that a Great White Egret had been seen at Amwell I decided to have a look before work this morning.

Although, freezing cold it was a bright sunny day and although I had a variety of birds there, no GWE was seen anywhere.

As it was a glorious morning I decided to finish my last hour at Bramfield churchyard in search of the Hawfinches that frequent the area in the winter months.

I had been on two previous occasions. The first gave a probable but not definite view (last year) and visit a couple of weeks ago was completely fruitless.

By the time I got there I only had 20 minutes before I needed to get back and once again it looked like I would miss out.

I had Nuthatch, Siskin, Greenfinch, Jackdaw, Great and Blue Tits and a Yellowhammer but with under 5 minutes left I started to walk back to the car.

In silhouette on a tree in the churchyard I saw a really stocky bird but the light could not have been worse so I walked back around the church to get a different angle.

Although the light was still 'wrong' I managed to get a really decent view of a female and with absolute certainty, my first Hawfinch.

I did try to take a photo but the bird would not play ball and was silhouetted most of the time but got a record shot nevertheless.

I am very strict with myself in that unless I can say catergorically that I have identified a bird visually, I will not include as a lifer. Today I did so a lifer for me!