Hawfinch photographed at Foulon [FOU] on 22/11/2017 Photo: © Wayne Turner (visit site)

The Hawfinch has always been a rare migrant and winter visitor and has been recorded on Guernsey, Sark and Alderney. The first Bailiwick record is from Alderney and Smith reports that the bird-stuffer and carpenter in Alderney had one spread out on a board and hung up behind his door, which had been 'shot by his friend who shot the Greenland Falcon, in the winter of 1876-77, somewhere around Christmas'.

The first Guernsey record of Hawfinch was from Câtel in December 1878 and Smith retained the skin. Another was shown at La Société Guernesiaise in 1884, a 'fine specimen' was taken at La Havilland Farm in January 1907 and another was seen in the autumn of 1949. Dobson records two records from Sark but no details were available.

Between 1969 and 1999, there were 8 records involving 11 birds in Guernsey. Elsewhere in the Bailiwick, one was seen and also ringed in Alderney between 14-18 April 1974 and a bird was trapped at La Fougeraie, Sark on 29 October 1978. This has included 2 winter records in December 1998 and January 1989. The latter record was from a garden in Rue des Grons which also had a pair of wintering Serin at the same time! Most records have been of singles, the only exceptions being 2-4 birds in the Vaux de Monel between 22 October and 7 November 1978 and a flock of three at the Heritage Walk in October 2005.

There is no particular pattern to the records but they show that the Hawfinch is a rare spring and autumn migrant, and also a very rare winter visitor. Records come from scattered locations and include gardens and wooded areas such as Fauxquets Valley and the Vaux de Monel.