Hawfinch at Bramfield.Mandarin & Firecrest at strawberry pond

A phone call from Robert sends me to Bramfield to meet him to try for the Hawfinch at the church.
I arrive first & see the bird within a minute.
It flies off over the road & out of sight.
Robert is here now & we scan the garden opposite the church, a few more birders have arrived by now.
A single Hawfinch soon shows in the trees, it is a really good view.

Hawfinch

Robert says it's the best view he's ever had of one, so well worth the trip, as we stand here a couple of Nuthatch show well. Its nice to see Robert out & doing some birding at last, hope this wets the appetite for him, shame he hasn't more time to join myself & the boys more often.

I was here with the boys just before xmas, there was at least 7 here then, only the one this time but a great view of it.
As I stand by the church wall next to the house a single Black Redstart pops on to a wall a scuffy looking one, it stays only  a brief while, which is a shame as I tried to get a photo, but it was to quick for me.

Nuthatch

It's not a very nice day,& Monday morning, but still people have turned up to do some birding.
It's nice to have people to have a good old talk to.
As we stand about talking I see a Redkite flying around above our head,
we see a lot of these now days which is really good to know.

We pop round to the shop for Rob to get a coffee to keep him going as he's been up all night for his work.

  Time to head home saying Goodbye to Rob, I head to Epping Forest to see the Mandarin ducks that are there every year at Strawberry Pond at High Beech.
I know they are peasant as the boys saw them yesterday.
I park just off the road by the first pond, I walk 50 yds or so into the forest down the path & on the right hand side is the pond with the ducks on .
As soon as I get there they are very visible up to 10 or more, always a nice colourful sight to see.

Photo taken I start back to the car when I see a Firecrest in the bush in front of me, the light is really bad, but I try for a photo anyway.  
Off home for lunch a nice few hours 
spent birding, sorry boys it beats work anyday.                    

Firecrest

                                                                                       

Mandarin Duck