Hawfinch - 1994

Rare visitor. Not recorded in February and March

Mathew (1894) gave records of a pair at Leweston (undated), one at Llanstinian in the spring of 1854 and one at Slebech on 13 September 1889. Lockley et al. (1949) added one at Ramsey on 9 November 1896 and two shot at Stackpole in 1930. They have been recorded in just nine years since, all single birds, at Crowhill, Little Haven, Skokholm, Skomer and Trefeiddan, with two at Llanychaer in June 1971 and ten at Spittal on 15 July 1972. Scarce in Wales and confined to eastern counties (Hurford 1990) Hawfinches are shy and elusive and might be overlooked in the Pembrokeshire woodlands. Careful searching by ornithologists may well reveal the Hawfinch to be more frequent.

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire