30.11.2025 - Field Trip : Finch Sunday! (The Brecks)

Leader: Sue Gale
Report: Kathy Blake (morning) and Cath Robinson (afternoon)

​18 hardy souls de-iced their windscreens and set off for Mayday
Farm in the Brecks on an icy cold Sunday morning. Layers, gloves
and hats were the order of the day. Any clouds soon disappeared and despite the temperature being only 2oc it really was the most beautiful day with perfect birdwatching conditions; the low winter sun painting the countryside rose gold. At the car park we got our first sightings of what would turn out to be many Crossbills.

There were signs of autumn everywhere; Siberian Crab apple, Shaggy Ink Cap and Snowberry. We headed off in a south westerly direction down Shakers Lane, spotting lots of corvids and we also saw and heard Blue tit, Coal tit, Dunnock, Great tit, Robin, Wren and Wood pigeon. At the crossroads, we spotted more Crossbill high in the Scots pine. We turned right here and were then treated to what for most of us were our best ever sighting of Crossbill. Several flocks of them landed in the trees along the path and the low winter sun was showing them off in all their glory.
While members were taking some wonderful photographs, David L wandered further down the track where he spotted Bullfinch and Greenfinch. We probably could have stayed there all day but reluctantly retraced our steps back to the carpark seeing Great Spotted woodpecker, Long Tailed tit, Nuthatch and a Sparrowhawk on the way.

Lynford Arboretum
We moved on to Lynford Arboretum where there had been reports of Hawfinch that day. Before setting off into the park, we stopped at the
newly refurbished café for a spot of lunch. While we were eating, we were entertained by an enterprising robin who kept flying indoors and eating visitors scraps in the fireplace. After refreshment, we headed to the tunnel to see if we could spot a Hawfinch. There were two more Crossbill in the trees behind the café buildings. Despite reports of them being seen during the last half hour, we failed to spot any Hawfinch. There were Blue tit, Great tit, Dunnock, Chaffinch and Coal tit to be seen though.
From here we walked down to the bridge, seeing yet more Crossbill on the way. When there weren’t too many visitors about, we saw Chaffinch, Blue tit, Great tit and Robin taking advantage of the seed that had been left out for them on the bridge pillars. We also added to the ever-growing finch
list with Siskin high in the trees surrounding the brook. We left the bridge and headed for the paddocks which has been a favourite haunt of Hawfinch in the past. After a patient wait, the group managed to spot one although it was extremely hard to see. Before all the group had had a chance to view it in the scopes, it was flushed by a Buzzard who landed in one of the nearby trees and scuppered any hopes of further sightings. The Buzzard then flew down to the ground near one of the telegraph poles and gave us a very nice view. 
Some of us headed back to the tunnel to see if there were any more hawfinches there. Shaun who got there first was lucky enough to see one. There was also a marsh tit feeding on the bridge to add to the bird list.
​After Kathy left, the group continued around the paddock keen to get into the sun to warm up. A Hawfinch was spotted again in the trees but we had an elusive hunt for a Firecrest. We picked up Mallard and Gadwall along the water on the way back: yet more Crossbill at the bridge and again in the birches behind the Shepherd’s Baa. After another pit stop some of us moved on to the other side to check out the lake. To the surprise of most of us the hide has been dismantled and replaced with a viewing screen through which we saw no wildlife at all. To the right from the beach, we had better reward with Great crested Grebe, both Little and Great White Egret, Heron and Tufted Ducks and several Cormorants. And, of course, another 2 Crossbills. 
What a Crossbill fest: maybe as many as 80 during the course of the day!