My second trip to Broomhead today required a little patience for views of the Two-barred Crossbills. Eventually after 3 hours first a single male was seen and then some time later 3 males and a female together in one of the conifer trees near the feeding station As we were waiting there was a regular stream of Common Crossbills and the strange thing was that none of the birds appeared to be feeding, seeming only to perch in the trees for varying periods of time before moving off.
We called in at lunchtime today, on the way back from Durham, and were fairly quickly rewarded with good views of a male Two-barred Crossbill on a spruce about 100 yds along the road past the turning to Low Bradfield. 5 Common Crossbills over as well.
Arrived at Broomhead at 9.30 this morning. Parked up at the grid reference that Sid mentions below and within a few minutes had seen four of the Two-barred Crossbills, two males and two females, 150 metres east of where we parked. By the road in larches and low trees. Very mobile at this point, so when it went quiet we made our way to the feeders before going full circle and back to the first sighting point. Four males and a female were feeding near the top of one of the larches. Great scope views were had for at least five minutes before they took flight again. Back to the feeders where various finches, tits and Nuthatch were seen. Just behind a flock of around 15 Common Crossbill feeding in pines, again great scope views. Amongst others :-
Two-barred Crossbill (6), Common Crossbill (c.15), Nuthatch (1), Great spotted Woodpecker (1), Coal Tit (25+).
Yep Paul folk were saying two females today but as I mentioned I only saw the one, that was fine and given the presence of that stunning male as well as the two juvs I had the full set
After a wait of 2 hours plus this morning had great views of two juvenile, one female and the stunning male Two-barred Crossbills in the larches near the feeders
From the waterside parking area at SK255959 follow the track into the wood and turn left after 25m, then after another 100m the feeders are in a clearing on the right.
Sounds like a similar experience to me on Thursday, between 1.5 and two hours waiting with numerous flocks of vocal Common Crossbills over before the small flock of Two-barred Crossbills dropped in to feed on the larches. No males had been reported up to then so imagine our astonishment when one of the feeding birds proved to be a glowing lipstick-red male!! A double-check confirmed it as a Two-barred since locals said that a male wing-barred Common had been present there too, but this was the real deal
The flock of 8 or 9 Two-barreds (definitely 1 male, 2 females & 5 or 6 juvs) fed for at least 20 minutes showing really well in the larches before flying off again. I did manage a few digiscoped record shots, one of which was requested by Sheffield Bird Study Group as definitive proof of a male being found
Glad you got them too, Sid, a great opportunity to see this species and maybe the only opportunity we will ever get to see a 'flock' this big in the UK
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Friday 16th of August 2013 01:53:42 PM
