Crossbills

excellent views today of the Crossbills in Walshaw plantation with a feeding flock consisting of six males, nine females and two juveniles. I also managed a good count of the flock while they were flying, 37 birds. These birds have been present from at least early July when at least half of the birds I managed to see were juveniles, most of these will have moulted by now (Crossbills retain juvenile plumage for a long time, some even breed in this plumage) all the males were in body moult.

Interestingly one of the juveniles was fed twice by a female, this was not a recently fledged bird as it had a fully developed crossed bill takes 6-8 weeks to develop

also present 3 Siskin, 8 Goldfinch and 2 Redpoll also numerous Coal Tits and Goldcrests and a single Chiffchaff.