Lots of excitement yesterday, arrival of a flock of red crossbills, a first for Central Park, definitely a first for me. I was walking elsewhere with Jean when Ann phoned to alert us. Huge thanks to Ann or we would have missed seeing the crossbills.
Impressions: The crossbills aren't beautiful like the warblers, but they are fascinating. The bills are crossed, pliers, somewhat like parrots. They crunch the pine cones in the hemlock trees. Yellowish for female, orange/reddish for males. They flew in as a flock, dined, then chattered to each other and flew out. That was the pattern, in-and-out. Fantastic. The cones weren't "ripe", but they were obviously finding delicious food. For photography, almost impossble back lighting from south, so you bracket and do what's necessary to get images.
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