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I have been fortunate to have a Hawfinch choose my garden and its environs over the past two days spending some of its time on my feeders; I just knew it was worthwhile investing all that money over the winter in peanuts and sunflower seeds, apparently just what Hawfinches like when they do visit garden feeders. It is a female and its plumage mirrors that of a male though somewhat duller with the key differences being the grey secondaries and grey along the outer edge of the primaries. It is likely to be a migrant from Scandinavia or Eastern Europe which has spent the winter further south: the main spring passage through Britain is in April.
At no time did I see it bully any other birds off the feeders but seemed to go to the feeders when they were vacant. The Greenfinches etc. certainly gave the Hawfinch its space keeping away whilst it fed. It was, however, very wary and as soon as it sensed any danger it would fly away to the top of the nearest tall trees, showing its strong white upper and under wing-bars. It was heard to call on one occasion, a soft "tic tic tic tic" as it flew from the feeder. (See image in album).
Mike Tarrant
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