As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Crossbills: Rare Birds Visit Hatfield


This afternoon a flock of 30 crossbills were seen feeding upon tree top pine cones in Hatfield Park.

An early Scandinavian cold snap may have triggered the birds south to over-winter in the area. 

Crossbills, are a type of finch and, as their name suggests, they have a crossed beak which they use to prise apart cones to get at the pine nuts inside. They are reddy / brown in colour and a bit larger than a sparrow.

Sightings of other interesting birds can be viewed on the Herts Bird Club website.  

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