The Lincolnshire Bird Club

REPORTED by Gary Tapp: Crossbill spp at Chambers Farm 15/12/2013
Part of a flock seen on the 'map' at Chambers Wood visitor center, the birds were seen at point no.11.

The following images were provided. (NOTE: these are the two most 'interesting images'. There are images where the birds bills appears smaller, but it is assumed that these were different birds??)

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

site map here
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/ChambersFarmWoodtrails.pdf/$file/ChambersFarmWoodtrails.pdf

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http://birdmanbirds.blogspot.com/

Link just seems to crash every time I try to open it?

Link works alright for me?

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Regards,

Andy.

Here is a screen grab....

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

reported on twitter by Russ Hayes this morning (17/12/2013) presumed male parrot crossbill at Chambers Farm Wood.

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

A quick visit this morning before work:
Presumed Male Parrot Crossbill at location 11 on map.

Russell

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http://birdmanbirds.blogspot.com/

Cracking picture Russ!

Looks like it's also got a pale wing bar? How many other crossbills did you see/hear?

Andrew

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

Only saw the one bird Andrew in a very brief visit before work. GPC may have seen more as he arrived as I left.

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http://birdmanbirds.blogspot.com/

I am rather rusty on these, not seen any since about 2002 and thus I was a little concerned over the structure of the bill and head on views up in the tops of the scots pines but I think the call is OK, recordings attached; and on my better images I think it looks OK for a Parrot presumably a 2cy male but I welcome any discussion --







will post some more images later but several on my blog at Pewit - http://pewit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/par ... sbill.html

It is also a long time since I have heard the call of Parrot Crossbill. To my ear, Graham's recordings sound slightly deeper and fuller than Common Crossbill which I have heard frequently lately, but variation within Crossbill calls and song can be misleading to me, at least. Different angles in the photographs give a surprising array of impressions, but on the best shots, I am sure that there is no doubt that this bird is Parrot Crossbill. I have a skin of an adult male of this species in front of me for comparison and can confirm identification on the depth of the bill and particularly the thickness and more angled appearance of the lower mandible. The large head and bull-neck give a fairly distinctive top-heavy look to the bird. The crown is flatter than Common Crossbill.

This single bird was present again this morning between 09.00 and 09.30 in the area just to the SE of the 11 indicated on the map above. There is a stream with some low oaks over it in a cleared area and it came into these to drink and sat up well giving good views. Its also flew about calling and fed in the pines adjacent to the track before moving onto the thicker plantation to the west of the track where it was lost to view.

Standing around 30 m into the clearing nearest the outside edge of the wood and watching the pines and low oaks over the stream should produce a result. It was the only crossbill sp seem.

After some initial scepticism from me on the original photos, having had good views of the bill from all angles, all present were happy it was a Parrot Crossbill. (With Andy Sims, Rick Bennet, Andy Chick and Phil Hyde).

No sign 10.40 - 13.10.

Geoff

First thing seems to be best Geoff. It's coming to drink at the small stream on the edge of the clearing, from which it was then perching to preen and flew around a bit before departing back into the Wood. Showed on and off for about 20 minutes this morning between 09.00-09.20 roughly,
Phil

I was thinking that Phil. We were at Broomhead reservoir a few months ago for the 2-barred, and they showed well early and late, with little presence during the day.
Must set the alarm tomorrow!

Geoff