Crossbill

A funny kind of day began with an addition to the site ringing list in the form of a female Crossbill. With reports of Parrot Crossbill from other parts of the country this bird was carefully checked for Parrot, but the bill and other measurements clearly indicated that it was a Common. With very dull conditions at the time this bird was caught, photography was tricky and the photos below are the best I could manage.

First year female Common Crossbill

1st year female Common Crossbill

The rest of the ringing session was pretty slow, with just six birds caught, three of which were retraps. Birds were arriving from the sea however, with parties of Starlings flying in off and continuing west, plus small numbers of Blackbirds, the odd Reed Bunting, a few Lapwings and a few Meadow and Rock Pipits heading south. Offshore a few flocks of Teal, Wigeon and Common Scoter were seen and two Great Northern Divers headed south. 

After an unsuccessful trip across to the south side of town to try for a Bittern that had been seen at Holbeck a return to Long Nab was fairly quiet aside from a Wheatear in the field behind the hut.

A Lapwing arriving from the sea at Long Nab