Male and female Hawfinch showing really well at around 10.30am this morning. Taken from the Car Park at the back end feeding amongst the hedgerows. Once everyman and his dog turned up at around 11.00 am they had disappeared. Well worth a visit although this is my fourth time here and my first time of seeing them. Birding is a patience game!

For those interested, a guy called Robert Pocklington, a National Trust ranger at Sizergh Castle ,is running a series of organised " Hawfinch Watch" events. These are being held every Friday and Saturday in April, starting at 8 am,and finishing about 10 am. These events take place on the veranada of the cafe,in Sizergh Castle car park,utilising the veranda as a "hide". The car park is suitably managed during these times,so as to minimise any disturbance to the birds,and to maximise the chance of good views of the Hawfinch! these events are free, but a small donation towards seed etc. would be gratefully accepted.

Photographers, or anyone wanting further details can contact Robert...e-mail.  robert.pocklington@nationaltrust.org.uk.  Or mobile number  07795090539.

We just chanced upon one of these events this morning, and were suitably rewarded with excellent prolonged views of at least six individual birds, happily feeding on the ground, or perched,calling in the surrounding trees and bushes, apparently, nine separate birds were seen yesterday morning. I cannot recommend these events highly enough, Robert is a great bloke,very informative and knowledgeable,and will do his best to put you onto the Hawfinches.

Cheers Chris

-- Edited by Chris Greene on Friday 1st of April 2016 03:40:55 PM

paid a visit here on my way to my brothers in Scotland yesterday 9th.

I spent 2 & a half hours around the feeding area & the gardens from 9.30am but no signs of any hawfinch.

1 great spotted woodpecker, 2 nuthatch, 1 goldcrest, chaffinch, greenfinch, blue, great & coal tits.

Visit yesterday am to try for Hawfinch before a visit to Leighton Moss

3 single hawfinch

2 mistle thrush

Mixed flock of about 20 fieldfare and redwing, fieldfare predominant

Early morning visit before Leighton Moss in the company of Simon Gough.

2 Hawfinch in view together (twice) a Lifer for Simon and the best views I've had of them by far!

I recommended to Simon that we try the Castle garden round the back where I had them last time. It paid off. We could hear them calling at first but we couldn't locate them. Then they just appeared at the top of 2 separate trees. They flew off and joined a group of Chaffinch for a while. Unmistakeable in flight too, the stocky front heavy bodies with short tail and broad wings.
We had 2 birds again in the car park as we were getting ready to leave. Probably the same 2 birds.

Other birds of note especially at the busy feeding station...
Bullfinch - 1
Lots of Chaffinch
Few Goldfinch
House Sparrow (near Castle entrance)
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
Long-tailed Tit - 4
Nuthatch (1 at feeders and 2 on car park floor)
Jay - 1
Redwing - 1
Blackbird
Robin
Dunnock
Goldcrest
Collared Dove
Woodpigeon
Carrion Crows
Jackdaws
Magpies
and Gadwall on small pool in meadow near entrance

(77 species of bird for the day, 74 at Leighton Moss alone, Hawfinch and Bullfinch here at Sizergh, + 1 more)


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 8th of March 2015 09:13:09 PM

Went today and there were at least four birds in the area, of which we had good views of two in the trees towards the exit from the car park, and one in flight and perched in a tree in the central verge

Craig Higson wrote:

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Anyone know if the Hawfinches have been showing here recently. Might have a shuftie on Friday if they've been around.

-- Edited by Craig Higson on Wednesday 12th of November 2014 09:14:45 PM

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Hi Craig,
Virtually 12 months ago to this weekend I saw them, although I must say conditions were harsher, ice on the roads, car park was frozen, and the grass where were stood was also covered in that feathery ice that was covering my feet turning my feet into ice blocks. The harsh conditions may have brought them down to feed, although irregularly, to the car park. I had them at the back of the castle gardens. Hope this helps.
Rob

First stop this morning at 8.15 just as the rain stopped.

2 Ravens flew over as I got out of the car and after a quick look at the feeders which were full of the usuals a single Hawfinch flew into the Hornbeam at the corner of the car park, gave good views for 5 minutes before flying off over the feeding station. Only the second time I've managed to see Hawfinch here despite a number of attempts one the years so made up

Sunday 10th November 8.30am - 1.30 pm

An early start and very poor driving conditions in fog and ice eventually got me there about 8.30am.

A Sparrowhawk had dispersed a group of 5 Hawfinches just before I arrived so I wasn't surprised that I didn't see one for about an hour and half, knowing that Hawfinches are notoriously uneasy and nervous birds anyway.
Nice to meet Andy and Ron up there and I think the 3 of us had the right idea of keeping away from the car park and persevering with standing on the edge of the field against the picturesque garden wall. The birding crowd in the car park was increasing and the only birds feeding on the ground were Chaffinches and Pied Wagtails.
Keith Mills makes a valid point below, more people in the car park the less chance of seeing them.

The Hawfinches eventually showed after a couple of flyovers from the car park direction.
1st to show was a male, what a fantastic bird. Then 2 males, then a male and female. Although there couldve been quite a few birds, they only showed in 1's and 2's, at most there was only ever 4 birds together at once so impossible to say how many.
These birds seemed to prefer Beech and Yew trees here, and trust me they can disappear in a relatively bare autumn tree, frustrating. They were joined by countless Redwings and both species fell victim to the constant harassment of the local Mistle Thrush, more so the Redwings.

A fantastic bird and a lifer for me and the others. Well worth the trip and my toes turning to blocks of ice.

Other birds of note:

2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
A few Ravens over
A few Nuthatch
1 large Buzzard on the entrance road

...plus usuals

Dropped in at Leighton Moss again on way back

Arrived here at 8.45 this Morning. I was informed that four Hawfinch had been in the car park 20 minutes earlier.
However within a few minutes two more appeared perched high up and into the sun. Fortunately one
of these flew low across the car park to sit in a Hornbeam on a fairly low branch. This tree being in the corner
with the play area.
There seemed ample seed down as Chaffinch, Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Blue Tits and Jackdaws were regularly
ground feeding. A Brambling was seen.
This was only my second view of Hawfinch and the best, but next time I'll be earlier!
On the drive out, Redwing were ground feeding in good number

-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 6th of April 2013 09:09:43 PM

Monday 3rd December. Had a week off work and decided to go and try again to see the hawfinches. We arrived at 8.00 and the weather was pretty poor. Put down some sunflower seed around the play area as advised in the past. Plenty of birds came:
nuthatch
blackbird
jay
robin
coal tit
great tit
blue tit
chaffinch
we waited untill 10.20 and a brambling appeared which was excellent!! Then at the same time a single hawfinch appeared. Got some photos but slightly to far away so none as good as I would have liked but this is the first time I have seen this bird was really happy just to see it!! I was amazed by it's bulk and that beak!!!!
Brilliant to see and well worth the wait.

Called in just before 10.00am , great views of a single m. Hawfinch from car park. Really close, hopping about on floor right near the small new play area.

Thanks Gordon - we'll give it a go

Might already be on here but what time does Sizergh open? - Will the gates be open so that you can drive up to the car park? - staying near Newby Bridge soon and my young lad wants to get up very early to see if we can catch them - any information would be very much appreciated

5 seen this morning. 3 in play area and 2 high in trees on opposite side. Also pair of jays, many nuthatch, various other tits and finches. Raven over.

Phil

Arrived at Sizergh at 09.00 this morning and was straight onto one of the Hawfinches in the tallest Hornbeam at the bottom end of the car park. We stayed for about an hour before we left for Leighton Moss - it was cold. During that period the maximum number of birds we saw was 4 at any one time.

There were also several Bullfinch and a couple of Treecreeper around during the visit.

Hi Chris

I don't know if this will help or just confuse you further but, when we saw them in September, we were at the end of the car park furthest from the entrance, facing the cafe. The birds initially seemed to come from our front left and into the trees behind us, but they were quite mobile all around the carpark, eventually spending a lot of time feeding in the tops of the trees that flank each side of the cafe. We were comparatively late, as we only left Oldham at 7.a.m., which may explain why we didn't see any on the ground.

Cheers, Mike

good luck Chris, very interesting, they may have moved to another feeding area? as you enter the car park and the building is on the right side, the left hand opposite far corner under the trees was the usual place, under the trees feedng on the floor, there used to be a small picnic table there under the trees,
Easy to just keep eye out on both areas, best of luck




Good luck with your photos, you seem to be working it out nicely, find a good spot wait and let the birds come to you, bags of patience needed

Hi Chris,

i have not been this year but last year and the previous one they were favouring the car park in the left far corner as you enter under the trees, feeding on the ground, there is a long small lump of grass that runs along the car park, on the left side, you can lie down in between the cars just behind it under some netting and see the birds at eye level, ish, almost totally out of view, throw lots of seeds down to, it can only help, if the sun is showing it comes down the park and lights the birds nicely, i would say between 9-10 is the best time to try,

Best of luck,

ps my photos are on here in the out of county photos gallery section, judge for your self if there any good,


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Chris brown wrote:

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Hi

I got talking to the guy who sponsers the food for free there. The feeding station has been open a couple of months so is still being developed he explained. It is to the left of the building as you look at. just through the gate that leads to the castle itself. Like I said it is a really good set up to get close to all the birds mentioned below. As for the hawfinches I was told that they move out to a different part of the estate after the first sun light but he did say if your lucky there can be some stragglers left behind!! (I was obviously unlucky!!!)

Dennis, I would love to just see a hawfinch but would aim to try and get a picture if I go back. So if I set myself up under my netting early morning, near that play area do you think I would stand a decent chance?
My biggest problem I think would be light so early in the morning but I take it you managed to get some decent shots?

Chris

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Cheers for that rick. Will check that out next time I go.
It was funny because every time we saw a fat chaffinch we thought it was going to be a hawfinch. A closer look just disapointed!!!!

Chris

Hi

I got talking to the guy who sponsers the food for free there. The feeding station has been open a couple of months so is still being developed he explained. It is to the left of the building as you look at. just through the gate that leads to the castle itself. Like I said it is a really good set up to get close to all the birds mentioned below. As for the hawfinches I was told that they move out to a different part of the estate after the first sun light but he did say if your lucky there can be some stragglers left behind!! (I was obviously unlucky!!!)

Dennis, I would love to just see a hawfinch but would aim to try and get a picture if I go back. So if I set myself up under my netting early morning, near that play area do you think I would stand a decent chance?
My biggest problem I think would be light so early in the morning but I take it you managed to get some decent shots?

Chris

Is the feeding station at Sizergh castle - also where is the feeding station and the hide

Hi Chris,

Not sure about the info you were given about first light. It may be true at this time of year, but we went to Sizergh Castle in the summer and a single Hawfinch showed really well just next to the main car park, opposite the cafe at about 10am. Would have been even better if we could have had a brew and a bacon butty to enjoy whilst we were there, but the cafe doesn't open til 11 or something! Daft, considering there were at least 7 birders about in need of caffeine and bacony sustanance.

yes that is good news, a large play area removing a tree there would of been a disaster for the birds, when i got the call from a friend it obviously looked worse than it might actually turn out to be, fingers crossed,

Best Den