During the spring Dave Smith and I collaborated with RSPB scientist Will Kirby to install nest cameras on Hawfinch nests in the Dolgellau area to study predation rates and the perpetrators of such predation. One of the side benefits was that it allowed us to id several of the adults from colour-rings fitted at our RAS feeding sites. An unexpected outcome is that a couple of the 29 pulli Hawfinch we ringed have already been resighted at a garden bird feeder, some 4 km from where they were reared and were still being looked after and fed by at least one parent!
Female Hawfinch E72 with her 4 chicks on 8th June
and back in Trevor and Chris's garden, 4 kms away from her nest wood, yesterday morning with at least one of her ringed juveniles!
More amazing by far though was that last week, Trevor and Chris had seen and photographed a Hawfinch wearing a white Darvic that was originally ringed on 8th April 2012 near Tintern. This is the first exchange between the two population studies and amazing considering the paucity of any Hawfinch records at points in-between!
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