Late Cranes and Hawfinch

The three hundred or so cranes which passed over me in five skeins during yesterday's bike ride make the headline because of their lateness but there were several other birds of note among the three dozen species which made an appearance. The main part of my journey was within the still dry Tardoire valley (in fact I cycled along the stony river bed for a while) where I came across an interesting mixed flock of cirl and reed buntings. I have not seen the latter species since the spring. A little pishing encouraged the appearance of several goldcrests and firecrests from within the foliage of a conifer plantation and a red kite obligingly soared overhead but the most striking birds of day for me were two hawfinches which typically sat very still while I admired their plumage.