Hawfinch - Tittesworth Reservoir, Staffordshire

After working in Stoke during the day, I couldn't resist trying for the Hawfinch which has been present at Tittesworth Reservoir, Staffordshire for a few days. The bird was a little bit out of my way, but I arrived just after 3pm with really good light.

It's a shame I wasn't able to explore the area more thoroughly, as the place was alive with birds and there was some great scenery from the car park. Plenty bird feeders around the car park held the common woodland birds plus a few Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Coal Tit.

I walked towards the play area, where the bird had been reported in the surrounding trees, but there was no sign. I briefly met a birder who hadn't had much luck. Thinking that time was against me I decided to have a quick walk a bit further afield. There was so much suitable habitat that I had pretty much given up hope that I would find it.  All of a sudden though, a large passerine shot past me and into the top of an Ash tree on the edge of the overflow car park. I was pretty confident of what I saw but couldn't find it again for several minutes. Then I realised the Hawfinch was actually roosting in the middle of tree, almost completely out of sight!

The bird didn't move for the 20 minutes I watched it

Even from 20m the Hawfinch blended in extremely well

In the end the detour was definitely justified - my second Hawfinch and much better views than my first last December.

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