Nutcracker

Shy birds preferring to perch in the tops of tall trees this small colony of hawfinches were on the floor under a yew tree feeding this afternoon. 

This is a male rather more flamboyant than the female in the Extra.

It's powerful bill has the ability to crack cherry stones, it's favourite food with a force of 50kg. They also like the stones of sloes and damsons and crack them in the same way. 

Amusing to see here in the Forest of Dean the bins and lenses out - sooo many camo jackets and wooly hats but luckily for me they didn't have staying power so I could move my car into the position I needed it to be and wait silently on my own .... which paid off. I came  here a couple of days ago and there wasn't one in sight so today I felt a bit smug.