Fairmile Bottom

 Wasn't going to go out today, after a slog around London Town yesterday, but when 65 Hawfinches were reported from Fairmile Bottom I couldn't resist going for a look!! Not a decision I took lightly the climb up the hill there is a killer, regular readers will remember  my mountaineering exploits up the Wolstonbury Hill, but this a different proposition altogether!!  

Still I arrived about one o'clock, took a deep breath and headed up the hill, about halfway up, dizzy from lack of breath,  I thought I heard a Firecrest, at first I thought I was hallucinating through oxygen deprivation, not least because people over 40 are not supposed to be able to hear em!! I'm obviously slightly over 40😏 yes I know I don't look it!! Stop it!! 😂 Once my heaving chest settled down, it soon became clear that there were defo Firecrests a foot!! Seeing Firecrests is one thing, getting pictures of em is a different proposition there seemed to be a couple having a go at each other and distracted I was able to get a couple of pics!! I also got loads of pics of bits of Firecrests and places where Firecrests had been but were there no longer!! I'll spare you those😂

Stunning aren't they😂Don't worry they get slightly better!

If there's a stick they will hide behind it!

Pleased with this one!

Not sure what's going on here?

They are crackers, after a good half hour I remembered I had come for the Hawfinches, I pushed on up the hill, at the top I took a wrong turn, which was fortuitous because halfway down the track I was suddenly surrounded by Hawfinches, calling and flying about in the treetops, I'm not sure how many there were but I'm gonna say at least thirty but probably more, they departed in small groups in various directions, but I managed a few shots, sadly a bit distant but you can tell what they are.

Hawfinch

Lovely to see so many, presumably an influx from the continent!! I wandered around the area, ran into a few Hawfinches and a small flock of Siskins but none close enough for pictures but overall was pretty quiet, a couple of Buzzards, the final highlight was an immature Goshawk which flew out of a tree ahead of me and circled the area!!! Bonus bird for sure!!!!

Buzzard

Goshawk

So a very pleasant spur of the moment decision with some great birds seen!!!