Common Rosefinch - Kendal, Cumbria

Yesterday, me and Austin made the relatively short journey up to Kendal for the Common Rosefinch which had been hanging around a private garden for several days. After arriving and quickly identifying the garden, which could only be partially seen from the road, we waited for about half an hour with no sign.

However, we then noticed a birder walking up a nearby lane and he informed us the bird was singing and showing well along a line of trees at the bottom of the path. We rushed down only to get the news it had just flown off! We waited for several more hours but eventually had to leave with no sign!

Typically, the bird was reported first thing again this morning, so I decided to give it another go. After arriving and walking down the lane to a small group of birders, I met the news that it had just been seen again! I waited with the group for about 30 minutes before a lady spotted the Common Rosefinch well hidden in a small tree in the garden. The bird was distant and obscured from most angles, but it stayed for a couple of minutes. These birds are scarce but regular visitors to the UK, but their breeding range has been moving westwards through Europe.

It won't win any awards, but you can tell what it is!

We then watched it fly across the valley towards the tree line, and I had really good binocular views as it flew within about 20m. Over the next 20 minutes, the bird would periodically sing (which was really cool to hear, and the song carried really well) before flying back to the garden where it remained out of sight until I left.

Really happy to catch up with this bird at last, which was a lifer for me and all the better for being a brightly coloured male.

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