Loxia central

Decided to try and photograph Crossbills today, so set off early in the fog with Unst the desired destination. En-route to catch the Yell ferry called in at Lower Voe and located half a dozen Crossbills in a block of pine trees.

Once on Yell met up with Dougie, who was along for the ride also with the hope of getting some sound recordings. On Unst amidst the flies and fog we located 6 Crossbills at Norwick feeding on the seeds of Red Hot Poker and 6+ at Haligarth.

On arrival back at my car at Toft i was met with a rather unambiguous note left by some prick on my windscreen ?
Back on Whalsay took the dogs for a walk around patch and all was quiet until 5 Crossbills flew over calling and duly landed in my neighbours garden, managed to view them also from the garden adding them to the garden list. Whilst photographing them a further 4 flew over just wish they would divert and call at mine.

As if i hadn't already overdosed on Crossbills a text from John Laurie of a dozen at Skaw had me checking them out, a very mobile and jittery flock the majority of which were males seemed to have increased to 20+.