After years of working for a certain Danish toy company and travelling to Denmark very regularly, I finally managed to invite myself to a friend’s home to photograph their bird table. Not so much the table as what visits it every winter. Each year, as the temperature drops, the table sees incredible winter visitors arrive to the “restaurant” as my friend, Camilla puts it.

In addition to wonderful species such as nuthatch, marsh tit and tree sparrows, the local hawfinch population make it their local. A naturally very shy bird, winter sees them flock and become a little more out-going.

Camilla and Jesper’s bird table sits right outside their kitchen window. As soon as a hawfinch is nearby, they can be easily spotted, their bulky heads, large size and short tails make them stand out against all of the chaffinches and blue tits. After thirty minutes or so of waiting, we had our first two swoop down onto the table and quickly remind other birds who the boss was.

Hawfinch have to be in my top ten birds. I love their bold beak and “mask”, the subtle but beautiful colours of their heads and wings, and the white spots that show as they fly. So special to see them so close.

It was also really cool to see so many brambling around.

Massive thank you to my friend Camilla and Jesper for yet another visit and an awesome meal.