A Crossbill day

A call from Jack made me abandon the hope of finding a Sibe at Bockhill in favour of searching for the equivalent of a needle in a haystack. 

 Crossbill

We were off to Hemstead Forest where the eruptive group of Crossbills there, now were accompanies by both a Two-barred Crossbill and one, possibly two Parrot Crossbills, both of which would be Kent ticks for me (what it is to be a low lister!).

Every now and again the "chip chip" call of Crossbills alerted to us as they came in to the favoured area, near a small pool that they were drinking at.

Various candidates were closely scrutinised and although the bills were variable in size none leapt out and grabbed the intention.

Some look good from one angle, only to disappoint when they were minutely analysed by the array of telescopes waiting there.

I have to admit, that Parrot or not I see few enough Crossbills to make the bulk standard model well worth watching, they are a real miracle of evolution, and I sure that, if he were alive today, Darwin would be studying them as the various species (if that is what they are) diverge from the norm in proof of his theory.

The Two-barred turned up, very briefly, for a drink, shortly after we arrived but it was several hours later that it returned and showed properly in a bare tree, alongside several Crossbills.

The bird on the left, bill hidden became the object of much interest as it was, when it turned, the owner of  one of the larger bills, but unfortunately not large enough for a Parrot Crossbill.

As we left several groups were flying around calling , hopefully the Parrot will remain in the area for a future look. BUT HERE IS A WARNING. When we got back to the cars one of them had been broken into, by smashing a front window. Obviously a group of cars, left unattended on in an isolated area  had attracted a thief, care needs to be taken!