Hawfinch is a bird that I should really like to see in Greater Manchester and were any reasonably well pinned down (insofar as they can be "pinned down") it's a species that I would travel down from Durham to try for.

I've often surmised with John Rayner that there is enough good habitat around the Etherow area to harbour some birds at least and based on my experience up here, I do feel that birds should be, and probably are, down there.

Over the years I've found them locally here in Wolsingham by scanning the bare treetops in winter from a good vantage point. I don't see them every year, mainly because I don't spend enough time looking, as many hours can result in no reward at all, and like others, I do have other commitments on my time.

Recently, the landowner who owns all the fields next to us, mentioned that on Feb 15th he had seen a hawfinch in a large ash tree, some 130 yds from our back door. Interestingly this particular ash tree is the same one where we last saw one from our kitchen window in Dec 2009.

Accordingly I have been 'scoping all the treetops every day for several hours between chores, but with a concentrated effort for the first hour from about 7.45 am if there is no strong wind, and if it is reasonably sunny.

On Feb. 21st I succeeded with a 5 minute view of a bird perched very high in a different tree some 40yds from my friend's sighting, (8.05 to 8.10 am). Our home is set relatively high up and affords a sweeping view across over a kilometre of treetops, and as a result the bird was effectively at eye level and at x60, gave cracking views.

This morning provided another ideal day in terms of the weather, - rather calm with early sun, and so I was set up with the 'scope on the back patio already scanning at 7.30. After 15 minutes I found a bird in the very top of the same tree as last week; it was nibbling buds, and within a couple of minutes was joined by a second bird.
Both birds left by dropping down (as did last week's bird) in the direction of a heavily overgrown holly bush on adjoining private land.
I had started to assume that the birds were inclined on calm mornings to come up high in the canopy to enjoy some early morning sun, but it strikes me now that perhaps instead, they are flying up to the canopy on calm wind free mornings to nibble on newly available buds (those on the highest parts of the trees being the first to swell).
It remains for me to find out what species of tree this one is.

If anyone were seriously wanting to try to find hawfinches in Greater Manchester therefore, my advice would be to try Etherow over coming weeks (while the first emergent treetop buds are swelling) and arrive early with the good fortune of fine calm weather in prospect. Work from a good vantage point (there are some excellent spots there to do this), scan the top 6/8 feet of the bare treetops, and be prepared to put in a full week of effort if needs be.
With the obvious need for people to be at work, such a strategy is perhaps unrealistic; -that in itself is why this species is under recorded.

Good Luck!
regards,
Mike P.

Cheers Martyn,

Looks like a nice day out there too:)