Birding in Worcestershire (1 Viewer)

[midlands birder]

Bad luck Sean - by my reckoning they are only 700 metres short of the Worcestershire border. Imagine two County firsts within the space of a few days!

Dont worry, i'll be flushing them towards Worcestershire when i'm looking for them in the morning

MB

Edit:For anyone who doesnt understand my humour, this is a joke :smoke:

 

[lesser kestrel]

Bramblings and crossbills along the Twatling Road area of the Lickeys.

 

[keithr]

The little b*****s have moved now they know I am after them...lol

Was this in the afternoon......
Cheers
Keith

 

[Woodchat]

Bad luck Sean - by my reckoning they are only 700 metres short of the Worcestershire border. Imagine two County firsts within the space of a few days!

A bit premature to declare any county firsts maybe - personally, I would wait until unequivocal evidence / images are presented.

 

[Brian Stretch]

3 TWO-BARRED CROSSBILLS confirmed as present in Worcs this morning by the finder, Brett Westwood. Location details here.

Apparently first seen on the Shropshire side on Thursday 28th and then seen both in Shrops and Worcs this morning.

Brian
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Worcester Birding
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[Woodchat]

Great news re the 2-barred Xbills for Worcs - but not county firsts either per WMBC - however, the last one was in 1838!!

Good luck to those who are able to go tomorrow.

 

[keithr]

I wonder if the sightings of the ones east of Golf course are some of the ones by the pool.
Hope for a bright morning tomorrow to get a better view.
Keith :t:

 

[Phil Andrews]

Great news re the 2-barred Xbills for Worcs - but not county firsts either per WMBC - however, the last one was in 1838!!

Good luck to those who are able to go tomorrow.

For WMBC region just one in Staffs in 1979. Quote from Harrisons "The new Birds of the West Midlands":

"... Tomes (1901) also mentions an earlier record of a female, killed near Worcester in 1836, which Harthan included in his original Birds of Worcestershire (1946). In his 1961 revision, though, Harthan said "Professor Newton examined this skin at Cambridge and the label attached to it states that it seemed in all respects to resembe the American race Loxia leucoptera leucoptera (White-winged Crossbill). It is doubtful if this was a genuine wild bird. The Handbook does not admit this sub-species to the British List".

I have double-checked the BOURC stats and its not listed, so today's birds are a County First. However for all we know the 1836 bird could have been a British First (and only record) ....

 

[wheatearlp]

For WMBC region just one in Staffs in 1979. Quote from Harrisons "The new Birds of the West Midlands":

"... Tomes (1901) also mentions an earlier record of a female, killed near Worcester in 1836, which Harthan included in his original Birds of Worcestershire (1946). In his 1961 revision, though, Harthan said "Professor Newton examined this skin at Cambridge and the label attached to it states that it seemed in all respects to resembe the American race Loxia leucoptera leucoptera (White-winged Crossbill). It is doubtful if this was a genuine wild bird. The Handbook does not admit this sub-species to the British List".

I have double-checked the BOURC stats and its not listed, so today's birds are a County First. However for all we know the 1836 could have been a British First (and only record) ....

"Seemed... to resemble" - now there's a definitive statement if ever I heard one

Either the 1946 original or the 1961 revision contained a typo as the former states 1838 and the latter, per the above, gives 1836. I do love historical accuracy :eek!:

 

[wheatearlp]

In his 1961 revision, though, Harthan said "Professor Newton examined this skin at Cambridge and the label attached to it states that it seemed in all respects to resembe the American race Loxia leucoptera leucoptera (White-winged Crossbill). It is doubtful if this was a genuine wild bird. The Handbook does not admit this sub-species to the British List".

I have double-checked the BOURC stats and its not listed, so today's birds are a County First. However for all we know the 1836 bird could have been a British First (and only record) ....

Presumably this specimen is still in a collection somewhere? So I suppose it could still be examined and, perhaps, something more definitive concluded? Although I guess there would then be the was-it-really-collected-where-stated argument if it did prove to be Two-barred/White-winged.

Interesting that "It is doubtful if this was genuine wild bird" - were cage-birds being sold in car parks as long ago as the 1830s? |=\|

 

[Phil Andrews]

The Wiki entry for Professor Newton: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Newton

Presumably in those days it was sedan chair parks ...

If someone was ultra-keen they could try contacting the Cambrigde Universiry Museum of Zoology

 

[wheatearlp]

Doubt I'm that keen, but a bit more can be found at the following:

http://www.britishbirds.co.uk/search?model=pdf&id=9525

Seems the only doubt is the provenance.

 

[Brian Stretch]

The Crossbill flock is feeding a little closer to the Worcs county boundary this morning and includes at least one male Two-barred. The/a female in the flock has prominent white wing bars but lacks white edges to the tertials. It has been seen near the male and is the same in structure and size so make of that what you will. Maybe there is more than one female present. Also several Common Crossbills with whitish wing bars just to add to the fun! (all per Andy Warr).

Brian
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[Phil Andrews]

The Crossbill flock is feeding a little closer to the Worcs county boundary this morning and includes at least one male Two-barred. The/a female in the flock has prominent white wing bars but lacks white edges to the tertials. It has been seen near the male and is the same in structure and size so make of that what you will. Maybe there is more than one female present. Also several Common Crossbills with whitish wing bars just to add to the fun! (all per Andy Warr).

Brian
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Worcester Birding
Follow Worcester Birding on Twitter @WorcsBirding

Pager still reporting two males and a female

 

[Brian Stretch]

Pager still reporting two males and a female

Yes. Apparently two females. One clear cut one and one not so.....

Still early days I guess. May be more will be discovered.


Brian
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Worcester Birding
Follow Worcester Birding on Twitter @WorcsBirding

 

[Ravenwing]

Common Crossbills, Lickey Hills, this morning

I bumped into Keithr in the Lickies at about 9.30 this morning and we had excellent views of about 15 Common Crossbills for about 15 mins on Cofton Hill. A flock of Redwing was also present.

 

[keithr]

I bumped into Keithr in the Lickies at about 9.30 this morning and we had excellent views of about 15 Common Crossbills for about 15 mins on Cofton Hill. A flock of Redwing was also present.

Great pics Alex.......Showing all the feature well...just going to throw my kit in the bin...then climb in myself !!

They did not show after you went and it started to drizzle......popped down to Twatling road after and nothing around from the car so went down into the wood and there were well in advance of 200 Chaffinch and mostly Brambling.
It was like night in there but the wet stuff did not get through.
The Finches feed on the floor and you cannot see them until they do a mass fly up.
Below terrible pics......as usual.
Keith
1.Crop of Male Xbill
2.As shot with 400mm
3A few more ...cropped
4 Crop of Brambling
5.Spot the bird.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Female Parrot Crossbill reported at the Two-barred site yesterday at midday - presumably just into Shropshire still

 

[keithr]

Female Parrot Crossbill reported at the Two-barred site yesterday at midday - presumably just into Shropshire still

They all seem to be camera shy.Suppose the photers are not into hours of waiting around outdoors.....lol

Keith :t:

 

[lesser kestrel]

They saw your Villa hat. Enough to scare anything off.

Bramblings still ground feeding by the cemetery and the crossbill flock flew over. Treecreeper, several nuthatches, coal tits, goldcrests, buzzard, a few siskins, redwing and fieldfare also seen. Greater spotted woodpecker heard.

Saw a couple of crossbills on Cofton Hill yesterday afternoon.

The little b*****s have moved now they know I am after them...lol

Was this in the afternoon......
Cheers
Keith