Slightly north into Surrey to finish my finch-fest. Views and sounds of at least 18 hawfinches. Flying around, preening, feeding off the ground and heading off to roost. A lot more camera shy than the other species, but a great experience to be surrounded by them. @SurreyBirdNews

Final stars from Sussex yesterday, these tiny redpolls. As someone whose colourblind, in the field the red breasts of the males didn't standout at all. Now reviewing the photos on a brighter, larger screen I can really see it! @SussexOrnitholo

Next up, a pair of gorgeous, yellow, humbugs! I always appreciate seeing siskins lower down as most of my views of them are when they're noisily eating at the top of some trees. @SussexOrnitholo

Yesterday was definitely a finch-fest for me. Seeing 8 of our 12 common finch species. I'll do a couple posts with the stars of the day, starting with this pair of bramblings! @SussexOrnitholo

@SMusievski @sferguk @bucksbirdclub @bucksbirdnews @CarlHunterRoach Funnily enough I'd met Carl last summer when he came to ring my local barn owl young. So when I submitted the ring recovery report that the firecrest had raised 2 young, Carl reached out to me. He was a stubborn little firecrest as he was incredibly reliable to only ~30m of shrub

@Hypatiakitten @sferguk @bucksbirdclub @bucksbirdnews Haha, can't complain about the detail! I managed to get him sitting kind of still whilst looking for food. Thankfully having 5 characters was enough to ID the exact bird.

@sferguk @bucksbirdclub @bucksbirdnews This is the male, I first saw him Aug '23 in a clump of trees that then became his territory. Held it non stop through till end of 24 and haven't seen him since 🥲

@NrthWildlifePix Definitely an interesting bird!

@harshithbirding @LondonBirdClub @BirdGuides @RareBirdAlertUK @freebirdnewsuk Glad you got good views of the BNGs, looks like the diver to me if that's larger gulls to the right. Slav was tricky to pick out as it was pretty far out most of the time, easy to miss

I love watching our wintering goldeneye, especially as they start to get ready for spring. Their head throwing displays are very comical. #stainesres #londonbirds @LondonBirdClub

Sometimes taken for granted, but being able to see 10+ black-necked grebes locally is brilliant. Even in their scruffy end of winter plumage, those red eyes glow when the sun catches them. #stainesres #londonbirds @LondonBirdClub

@BP_Chua @Hertsbirds @HMWTBadger Thanks!

@harshithbirding @LondonBirdClub I left about 10.45, slav and black necks in the same spot, 5 bng on each basin by the causeway, diver was "only" half way out on north basin

@harshithbirding @LondonBirdClub Slav grebe east bank of south basin, 4 bng NE on south basin, 5 bng E on north basin, at least 1 great northern diver N of north basin

@Photos2Print @Hertsbirds @HMWTBadger Thanks Mark!

@harshithbirding @LondonBirdClub I've got to head off around 11 later sadly, divers will be on the north edge of the north basin (scope very helpful), bng have been on both basins and anywhere near the edges, slav has been north basin last couple days and anywhere on it. Will update you if I find them

@harshithbirding @LondonBirdClub or and then walking along the causeway here -

@nikktwitcher45 @Hertsbirds @HMWTBadger Thanks Nicholas!