Common Rosefinch at Jackhouse Reservoir, Oswaldtwistle, 18-21.06.1999. The first East Lancs record.

by John Metcalfe.

Following an unsucessful search for a reported adult male Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) on the afternoon of 19th June '99, I again returned to the site at 05.15hrs on the morning of 20th June.

After a 2hr search with no success, I met Mark Memory, who informed me that he had originally found the bird on the morning of 18th June and that in-fact, the bird had been singing a little way from our position.

We quickly relocated the bird, and, over the next few hours, I heard and observed the bird on several occasions, down to a range of approx 40mtrs.

The following details were noted at the time:

General appearance: House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) sized, chunky, finch-like bird with quite a long, forked tail.

Plumage details: Head, chin, throat and breast -  red, the only relief being an area of brown feathering around the ear coverts. The red on the breast merged with the otherwise white underparts. On the head, the red extended onto the nape. Mantle -  brown and lightly streaked. Rump - red, similar in colour to the head and breast. Tail - brown. Wings - brown, with pink-tinged white tips to the median and greater coverts, creating a very obvious double wing-bar.

Bare parts: Bill - dark grey, deep based and very stout, almost Bullfinch like.

Song: Very distinctive. Short 4-5 note whistle, melodic and Blackbird like in quality.

On 20th June, the Common Rosefinch was seen and heard by in excess of 30 birders. The final sighting was made by the finder, Mark Memory, at 06.30hrs on 21st June 1999.