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Welcome to the St Helens Birds and Wildlife blog. We welcome your reports from across the borough regarding all forms of wildlife. Please click on the "Report a sighting" tab if you would like to contribute to this blog.

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Scarce or vulnerable species include but are not restricted to any species of wader, ducks other than mallard, all owls, any birds of prey, grey or yellow wagtails, grey heron, all grebes, Cetti’s warbler, water rail, willow tit, corn bunting etc. If in doubt, please ask.

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A Hunch

Hi, I was at the back of Billinge hill again last weekend near the gorse. I had my camera taking a few shots of willow warblers/ chiffchaffs. Suddenly a pair of birds flew from the beacons direction into the gorse. It was only very fleeting and they were soon gone. Because they were silhouetted against the morning sky I couldn't get a proper id. They had thick bills and made a cackling/chuckling noise, its hard to describe it really and that's the best I can do. My immediate thought was hawfinch but its just a hunch as ive never actually seen one. Can anyone take a guess on  my limited description? Have hawfinches ever been spotted around here?
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3 comments :

  1. Anonymous1 May 2014 at 13:01

    have had crossbill fly over before ,looks similar into the sun .ive never seen hawfinches in Merseyside before but that means nothing. try listening to a few calls on the internet you might pick it out. good luck
    neil gordon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrew1 May 2014 at 13:51

      Thanks Neil, going off the sound recording on the rspb website the calls did sound like Crossbills.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous2 May 2014 at 13:44

    Hi Andrew, my guess wouldve been crossbill too but if the light was bad can you rule out greenfinch or yellowhammer as these have both done me in the past!
    Interestingly though Hawfinch have occured and Billinge Hill before and bred in the past too I believe .... eyes peeled then!

    Paul B

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