Another weekend, another trip which i had been putting off, Norfolk!!!! This time not for Gulls, this time it was Crossbills, more specifically Parrot Crossbills. I had put this trip off for ages, as i was told the birds were not easy to find, and even more difficult to photograph........?
It was cold but sunny this morning, so we made a stop off at West Stow Country Park, in Thetford Forest, looking for Common Crossbills, and possible Parrots too. They had been coming down to a puddle, to drink, in the car park. Sadly not while we were there, i did have a flyover common Crossbill and a few Siskins, not what i wanted...! Lets hope the next stop will be better.
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| Parrot Crossbills |
By the time we got to Holt, the sun had gone in, and it was back to the dull, cold weather we had been used to, but at least there was no rain. Now to find the clearing near Edgefield, easy....there are people in a field (car park) with scopes up! We pull in, and a birder says to me "Are you looking for the Parrots?", "Yes i am" i said "they are over there" he said pointing to a dead pine tree, in the middle of...you guessed it, the clearing! Thanks mate.........I set up the scope, and there they were, about 12 Parrot Crossbills, first ones i had seen for years, and first outside of Scotland too. Lifer for my Dad! They then flew right over the car park, and landed in a fir tree behind it. I managed some photos, but due to the light and looking straight up, they were not what i really wanted, but a start at least!
Right then, now to get some proper photos...hopefully. As i walked down a track across the clearing, i could see some birders, and bird photographers in the middle, near THE tree. One photographer was leaving, and walked towards me, before i could ask about the puddle they come to drink at, he told me to go over to where the others were, they are watching the puddle!!!!!! After a fairly short wait, a flock of Common Crossbills came into the tree. They gradually came down to drink too.
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| Common Crosbills |
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| Common Crossbill (1st Winter Male) |
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| Common Crossbill (Male) |
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| Common Crossbill (Male) |
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| Common Crossbill (Female) |
Sadly, the Parrots didn't come down, while i was there.....theres always tomorrow....
Last thing we did was a quick visit to Salthouse. Not really much going on there, but an adult Spoonbill was sitting in a field, near the Iron Road. Year tick anyway.
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