It is certainly the winter of the White-winged Crossbill. They have been widely reported in almost every locale, and in spots rarely if ever reported. Many Christmas Bird Counts recorded some as a new species for the count.
Today I had a flock of approximately ten come into the yard and feed on spruce cones. I had seen a few stop brieflly about 10:00, but they did not stay long. About ten minutes later, I went out the door in prep for doing some shopping, and I saw a bunch at the top of a spruce tree. I ran back into the house to obtain my camera. It was a bright sunny clear day, so the photos turned out fairly well.
I mentioned in a post on Christmas Day that I had three in the yard, and that that was only the third time I had seen them in the yard ever. Frankly, I have never heard of such a wide invasion into southern Ontario before in all my years of following birds.
female crossbill
It seemed to have started last summer when flocks were reported in July in various places. Just in the last week, the pace seems to have picked up.
Another good bird seen today was a first winter Merlin flying over the house in the afternoon. Not a minute later, a young Northern Harrier flew over as well.
Blake ... I especially enjoyed your 2nd photo.
ReplyDelete15 years of birding and I STILL haven't seen a Crossbill! Meanwhile, it seems in every other report lately, people are seeing Crossbills all over the place!
There have certainly been enough of them flying overhead here lately ... when are they going to land somewhere so that I can get a good look at them?!
Happy New Year Blake!! I'd love to have White-winged Crossbill for my yard list :)
ReplyDeleteEven more crossbills today (Sunday)!
ReplyDelete