As I was off school on Wednesday due to the strike, Dad and I visited Lynford Arboretum, to try for the Two-barred Crossbills for the third time this year. We got to the car park, and could hear 2 Firecrests singing. I found them after a hunt, and then we moved on to the visitor hut. Dad found 1 Crossbill in the larches, but nothing else. We then met a chap who we spent the day with who had a Mealy Redpoll in the trees earlier. We went up to the feeders, and saw nothing much in there, just the usual Nuthatch. We then got a big flock of about 25 Crossbill flying over. Half landed in the surrounding trees, half went to the larches back by the visitor hut. We scanned the flock, but couldn't find any Two-barred's. So we went back to the visitor hut.
I soon spotted a male Crossbill in the top of a pine. But when I put my bins to it, it had 2 massive bars!!!!! It was a TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL! It then flew to the construction site, and into a big puddle, where I got this distant pic.
It then flew off, with about 5 Common Crossbills. I then could hear another 2 Firecrests in the local area. We managed to find them both, including one showy and vocal individual.
I did get a few Brambling down by the little stream adjacent to the river near the bridge, but to my knowledge not much else.
On the way back, another Crossbill flock came in and landed in the pines. We searched through the flock, and was delighted to pick out a second TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL!!!! This time though, it was the first winter bird, and clearly different to the first one we saw. The bars though were pretty obvious.
We then went to Santon Downham with this guy (sorry, don't know what your name is.) We got a distant Chiffchaff showing on the river...
We then got a female Mandarin...
After walking a mile down river though, we didn't see any of the Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers, even though 2 were reported on RBA. Annoyed!! We came back though and a male joined the female Mandarin, which was nice to see. We did get the usual Nuthatches as well...
There was also a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker and 3 Hawfinches reported at Lynford, exactly where I walked to see the Brambling's by the River!!! AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!! Always next weekend.
Tonight, I had a golf lesson at Stonham Barns. I got a Yellow Wagtail on the range which was a great early bird.
Happy Birding!
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