A customer, blog watcher, rang me today after seeing my blog last night and reported seeing 2 male crossbills on the edge of the plantation off Back Lane Ogden, feeding on pine cones a couple of week back.
Hopefully this is the start of the arrival of more Crossbills as it was back to 2012 when the last influx took place which is a mystery as each year the pines have been full of cones but failed to attract this species.
Crossbills were present throughout 2012 and my records include
12 Back Lane plantation 26/2/2012
9 Back Lane plantation 11/3/2012
18 in the plantation to the west side of Ogden 19/6/2012
11 by the info centre 14/9/2012
This influx has never re occured since then and my only other Crossbill sighting since was
2f 1m Back Lane plantation 6/4/2013.
Its unlikely that birds have been missed as these areas are reasonably well watched and although they can take some finding in the tops of the pines they are noisy birds with a distinctive call and are usually heard before seen.
A trip to Soil hill this evening had to be aborted when the fog and drizzle came in over the tops.
BS
WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING. BRIAN SUMNER. I am based at Queensbury and bird a patch within a 10 mile range of home incorporating 16 stretches of water, several plantations, a belt of woodland, stretches of river and canal and good areas of moorland. I specialize in upland birds, reservoir and sky watching. My local patch is Fly Flatts reservoir. Any reports can be sent by text or call to 07771 705024 or see profile for e mail address. All images on this blog are copyright.(2025).