Hawfinch

A large, thickset finch with a massive bill capable of cracking cherry and hornbeam stones, favouring mature broadleaf woodland where it feeds high in the canopy and is often detected first by its sharp, ticking call. It's shy and easily overlooked in full leaf, so late autumn and winter — when trees are bare and birds gather to feed on fallen seed — offer the best chance of a clear view, often at first light as birds fly in to favoured stands.