subbuteo

8 March, Lam Tsuen.

I saw a finch/grosbeak which could have been a Hawfinch.  However, I didn't get enough to clinch it.  It was a single bird perched alone at the very top of a tree, perhaps 30 metres away.  Dawn light but fairly bright.  Silhouette was of a dumpy, stocky bird, tail did not appear short- which has me wondering but wasn't long either! I initially thought it was an olive-backed pipit as they have perched in the same tree regularly recently.  Overall colouration was brown on the back, darker wings.  I didn't see any white on the wings or tail.  However, the bill was blue/gray, no yellow.  It flew while I was fumbling for my camera so I missed its wing pattern to.  Very frustrating.  Grosbeaks have been few and far between in Lam Tsuen this winter overall.  Looking back at dates of past occurence of Hawfinch, this ties in with last year.  As I said, I'm not sure but keep a look out!

Dylan