Old Lodge - Parrot Crossbills

After three days at Old Lodge, Dave and I eventually caught up with the Parrot Crossbill flock. The pictures we got were not particularly good. The birds stayed distant in the tops of the trees, there was a lot of movement, the light was poor etc. - I always have a good excuse.

Was it worth standing around in the cold and rain for all that time? Of course it was, a year tick, a Sussex tick, and a bird I may not see again locally for a long time. It's just a pity that it kept me away from home and all that decorating that needs doing!!!

For once I was glad that there were a number of other birders present. I did see a couple of males with the big bills that I was expecting on Parrot Crossbills but there were also Commons present and the pictures I got were not as  definitive as I would have liked. If I had returned home with just the pictures you see here I would have had my doubts over what we had actually seen. Fortunately there were some real experts present and if they were happy to confirm Parrots in the flock who am I to argue.

A good year tick but it only makes me more determined to get some decent pictures of them. One day they will be at head height, on the outside of the tree, in sunlight ...... it does happen but its very rare.