A rare sight

Since taking early retirement, I had the time to watch the birds come and go in our garden.
Obviously no longer having a garden, we are seeing a different selection, though we have the old favourites, robins, blackbirds, tits and wood pigeons.
We now have the added delights of a kingfisher sitting on the bow of the boat opposite or next door,

visiting swallows at very close quarters,

woodpeckers

and several species of water fowl.
         

Coming back from a trip into town this afternoon, I dropped Hubby off to walk the dog along the lock and drove home.
As I sat in the car here in the car park listening to the news, a barrel of red plumage caught my eye, and I could see movement of a black capped head.
I am not a twitcher, but I was hoping I was seeing my first ever bullfinch in the flesh.

Source: Birds of Britain Monthly Web Magazine for Birdwatchers

During the nesting season the bullfinch is a woodland bird; the only sign of its presence a soft piping or a fleeting vision of a white rump.
In late autumn it is more of a wanderer, feeding largely on the seeds of herbaceous plants. But these decrease in importance with the onset of winter and are replaced by tree seeds, especially ash.

And so I was, not one, but two, making a nest in the hedgerow.
In December.