6th January Lower Deeside ( near Banchory)

Spent the afternoon at one of my study sites that I historically visit on either Christmas Eve or Hogmany every year. I didn't this year and was feeling a bit guilty. Quite a good little site with all the main conifer species so a chance of getting a variety of types at various times of the year. So I shunned the multitude of Pine Crossbills I would undoubtedly have seen and instead got all 'Common'.

A total of 30 contacts and maxima of 11 birds. All birds were what I call 1B types - you Sound Approachers call 'em what you like but my New Year's resolution is to never use 'such' terms again ( no offence SA guys !). You see, for me there was (crossbill call) life before the Sound Approach book came out: however, it is nevertheless a very good book. These crossbills had been feeding in Larch and at dusk I spotted three still feeding frantically and flitting from tree to tree.

Larch - 9 out of 10 Crossbills prefer it you know ? Apparently.