Is 2021 a good pine-cone year on Speyside or a poor one? (1 Viewer)

[wolfbirder]

Not sure how you can find out?

 

[Mono]

Surely its to early to tell yet as the trees are still doing their thing.

 

[wolfbirder]

Surely its to early to tell yet as the trees are still doing their thing.

Scots Pines usually flower or produce their cones by April.

 

[Ratal]

Abundant. Like ABUNDANT. Trees are heaving in the woodlands.

 

[wolfbirder]

Abundant. Like ABUNDANT. Trees are heaving in the woodlands.

Cheers Ratal, much appreciated. Surprisingly hard to find out.
Just trying to assess if Crossbills are likely to be similar (abundant).
Should theoretically be a good Crossbill year perhaps then, though of course good for native Crossbills, presumably it doesn't mean there will be irruptions of bills from abroad unless there is a pine shortage in other Countries.

 

[Ratal]

Cheers Ratal, much appreciated. Surprisingly hard to find out.
Just trying to assess if Crossbills are likely to be similar (abundant).
Should theoretically be a good Crossbill year perhaps then, though of course good for native Crossbills, presumably it doesn't mean there will be irruptions of bills from abroad unless there is a pine shortage in other Countries.

Norway is having a good year too, so unlikely in the extremes to be an irruption. Local Crossbills though are booming.

 

[wolfbirder]

Norway is having a good year too, so unlikely in the extremes to be an irruption. Local Crossbills though are booming.

Good to hear!

Just trying to understand when is a good time to try for Crossbills in Scotland's Pine Forest, especially Scots Pine.
I might return for a long weekend end of May to try to see some more.

Reading all the Crossbill reports, and that the % of Common/Scottish/Parrot vary from year to year makes it hard to interpret. Someone told me that if you see a Crossbill at Boat of Garten Woods, it is very likely to be a Scottish. I don't fall for stuff like that, I saw a flock of 7 males there a few weeks ago and someone else told me that if you see all males with no females or juvs at this time of year (late April) they too are likely to be Scotsbill or Parrot.

I'm hoping to also see BT Diver at one of the lochs around there too, having failed.

Much appreciate your responses Ratal .

 

[jpoyner]

Good to hear!

Just trying to understand when is a good time to try for Crossbills in Scotland's Pine Forest, especially Scots Pine.
I might return for a long weekend end of May to try to see some more.

Reading all the Crossbill reports, and that the % of Common/Scottish/Parrot vary from year to year makes it hard to interpret. Someone told me that if you see a Crossbill at Boat of Garten Woods, it is very likely to be a Scottish. I don't fall for stuff like that, I saw a flock of 7 males there a few weeks ago and someone else told me that if you see all males with no females or juvs at this time of year (late April) they too are likely to be Scotsbill or Parrot.

I'm hoping to also see BT Diver at one of the lochs around there too, having failed.

Much appreciate your responses Ratal .

All just guesswork I'm afraid. They are about, but not that easy to locate at the moment for sure.