Common Rosefinch is something most birders will see in most years, typically on the east coast, Shetland or Scilly. These are invariably immatures, which are dull, plain grey birds. They so certainly don't live up to their colourful name, and are so bland in the autumn that they have been christened with a series of disparaging names.
Spring males are a rather more resplendent red, not that I'd seen one before today. Most years there are a handful of signing birds, typically in remote locations or on the east coast. Way back in the eighties and early nineties these became more regular and the species was widely predicted to colonise, but that never materialised. There have perhaps been a few breeding occurrences, but nothing regular that I am aware of. These days appearances are sporadic and are always sufficiently distant so as to not merit the trip for a bird usually seen annually.
This bird has been present in a garden near Kendal, Cumbria, for the last few days but had been reported as elusive. Malc and I made the trip up largely as an excuse for a day out, tied in with some other birding. Happily the Rosefinch was singing as we arrived. It took a while to see it, but eventually it showed several times on wires and bushes as it belted out a simple, musical song. It has a BTO type metal ring, hopefully someone will manage to get a reading so we can find out where it has been before rural Cumbria.
Afterwards we went in search of Honey Buzzards without success, but enjoyed watching an Osprey pair at the nest, with one of the birds flighting around trying to break sticks from dead trees. Aside from Little Egrets, there was little of note but it was a beautiful area to spend a little time in. Swallows, Swift and House Martins zipped around and Common Kestrels were pleasingly common, but no large raptors other than a few Common Buzzards. We set off homewards around 1pm in the hope we'd beat the bank holiday traffic, but failed. A Magnum double caramel was some compensation though. Still back home late afternoon after an enjoyable day out. Must go back.
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