A week last Sunday crossbills were spotted for the first time this year at Binn Green, by Dove Stone's stalwart Sunday volunteer John Parker. One of the 8 or 9 birds looked different - and Dove Stone had its first rare bird find! It is a male Two-Barred Crossbill - quite bright red, with two white wing bars, the second of which is really broad - a lovely looking bird. The accompanying Common Crossbills are fine looking too - this morning four Common Crossbills were with the Two-barred. They do range over quite a large area, but seem to return to the Larch trees at the Binn Green car park at least a couple of times a day.
Bird ringing at the feeding area was relatively quiet, but quality rather than quantity - after a few Chaffinches and Great Tits, a female Great-spotted Woodpecker and then a stunning male Brambling was ringed - it will be interesting to see if he returns in future years. And down around the main Dove Stone trail chiffchaff and willow warbler are now singing... who will hear the first cuckoo?
a brambling in the hand....