16th November 2017 by Graham
Martin
An unusually high number of giant
finches look likely to arrive in Scotland this winter.
There have been record sightings
of hawfinches in England and Wales and now they are reportedly travelling north
with several already having been spotted here in the last week.
The influx is a real treat as
these birds are shy and elusive, and there are thought to be fewer than 1000
pairs in the UK.
Hawfinches are the nutcrackers of
the bird world, with their massive parrot like bills that can crack even the
hardest nutshells.
They are also very attractive
birds, patterned with autumnal shades, including a rich chestnut head,
rose-pink breast and black and white wing markings.
The number of hawfinches that
nest in the UK has declined dramatically in recent years, but each winter birds
from the continent travel to Britain searching for food.
This year, however, the numbers
seen have been much larger than normal, with hundreds of sightings recorded. In
birdwatching terms, this is called an “irruption”.
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