EAST NORFOLK: Looking for Crossbills

27th October 2013

This afternoon Cathy & I went for a walk in Witton (aka Bacton) Woods. Having grown up in North Walsham, it was here that I saw my first Common Crossbills in the early nineties, so it seemed a fitting location to attempt to see Parrot Crossbill. I had been given directions to an area of trees where they had been seen earlier in the week, but other than Coal Tit and Goldcrest there weren't many birds about. The strong wind hindered any attempts to listen for distant calls or falling pine cones. Hopefully they will continue to be seen, and I can have another go later in the year.

On our way round we did see quite a bit of fungi - Cathy found an unopened Parasol and a number of Mycena sp, whilst there were also Fly Agaric, Amethyst  Deceiver and Beech Sickener. We also saw some Hard Fern, a species that I have presumably seen here before but not recorded. On the way back to North Walsham a Stoat ran across the road.

Hard Fern

Parasol