01/12/2019 Hawfinches at Penhurst Lane near Battle, East Sussex

Hawfinches at Penhurst Lane near Battle in East Sussex

Fired up by Mark Mallalieu's presentation to the East Grinstead RSPB Group last Wednesday, I spent time at Penhurst Lane looking for hawfinches. 

Friday 29 November

 

• I arrived at the site just before 2 pm to find Cliff Dean and his group from Rye looking for these birds too, but having no luck.  They were moving from the area by the post box towards the second viewing point by the metal gates near the public footpath in front of the woods. 
• I and another birder from his group stayed at the post box so that we had both bases covered.  Try as we may, however, there was no sign of any hawfinches.
• I did see a cracking grey wagtail on the roof of one of the cottages by the nearby pond. 
• We also heard then saw a goldcrest in the trees behind us

Saturday 30 November 2019

I tried again the following day but was a little late, getting there around 2.45 pm. 

• I met up with David Williams and another young birding couple.  They had seen as many as 15 hawfinches from the post box area, including a couple of stunning close views before the birds flew north towards the metal gate viewing point.
• I stayed behind while they relocated but after a fruitless watch I joined up with them again.  Unfortunately there were no further sightings .

I had missed the action by about 15 minutes!

Sunday 1 December 2019

 

My third attempt was more successful. 

• After a very early lunch, I arrived on site around 1.45 pm, to join a lady birder by the post box. 
• Within minutes each of us spotted separate hawfinches.  Hers was the nearest, showing very well in the canopy of one of the deciduous trees just to the west of the road.  Mine was showing a little further away, towards the north west  and again, sitting proud in the canopy of another bare tree.  

 

 

• We were joined by David Williams and then enjoyed uninterrupted views for 30 minutes or so.
• A later visit to the metal gate area proved unproductive.
• No success in finding the roost site.

Very pleased to see hawfinches are still in this part of the county after the "invasion" in the winter of 2017/18.