Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Winter Visitor: White-winged Crossbill

White-winged Crossbills are at home in the northern boreal coniferous forest where they feed on conifer seeds. With their crossed bills they are wedging the scales of the conifer cones open, and lift the seeds out with their tongue. They are nomads traveling where ever conifer seed is in abundance, and in the winter they often appear in the northeast. A male has been reported at a feeder on the campus of Putney School for a couple of weeks but I had had no luck  seeing the bird until today. 

It was a brilliant morning. When I arrived on campus the trees were glittering, each twig studded with sparkling ice crystals. The White-winged Crossbill, an immature male, was hunkered down on a feeder by the campus kitchen busy with picking sun-flower seeds.

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He started out in the shade, but gradually made his way into the sun. He also stopped feeding having apparently gotten his fill.


He had started off feeding in the shade, but was gradually working his way into the sun.








I am not sure what he was looking at under the roof but shortly after he flew off.

So I  was able to add another bird to my life list, bringing the count up to 271. I'd like to thank Ken Klapper, expert birder from Keene, in locating these birds and pointing them out to me.


Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment.

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33 comments:

  1. David LipsyMarch 8, 2011 at 10:08 PM

    Fantastic pictures! Thank you!
    Perhaps, in the picture with the Crossbill looking up he was hoping to catch a drink from the ice just above him?

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  2. Dawn FineMarch 8, 2011 at 10:16 PM

    Beautiful photos Hilke!

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  3. KellyMarch 8, 2011 at 11:37 PM

    Wow, Hilke! These are fantastic close-ups!! Love the shots when he emerges in the sunlight. He has really interesting coloring...

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  4. Bill S.March 8, 2011 at 11:55 PM

    Great photos. They are stunning birds. They are just starting to show up here. I love them at my feeders

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  5. mickMarch 9, 2011 at 2:07 AM

    Great photos of the bird and the bill is certainly perfect for the job of extracting seeds from cones!

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  6. eileeninmdMarch 9, 2011 at 4:21 AM

    Congrats on your lifer. Wonderful photos!

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  7. Hilke BrederMarch 9, 2011 at 5:54 AM

    Thank you, David. You are probably right about the bird trying to catch a drink.

    Thank you, Dawn, Kelly, Bill, Mick and Eileen. It was thrilling to see this bird so close up!

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  8. holdingmomentsMarch 9, 2011 at 10:19 AM

    Excellent captures Hilke. Such an amazing beak too.

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  9. grammie gMarch 9, 2011 at 11:04 AM

    What wonderful captures of this bird that I have never seen here in my area in Maine!!
    Lovely colors and that bill!!

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  10. Hilke BrederMarch 9, 2011 at 11:26 AM

    Thank you, Keith. Thank you Grammie. That bill at first looked so non-functional until I visualized, what a well-designed instrument it really was for opening cones!

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  11. jeanlivingsimpleMarch 9, 2011 at 12:17 PM

    Hilke, Congratulations on this very cool addition to your List! Outstanding close-ups of the "crossed" bill. Special indeed!

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  12. jooMarch 9, 2011 at 12:37 PM

    It's a lovely bird, and such a nice visit:)

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  13. FotokarusellenMarch 9, 2011 at 12:59 PM

    A beautiful bird and very beautiful photos. Well captured and presentated. Bravo!
    Have a nice day.

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  14. UnknownMarch 9, 2011 at 1:03 PM

    Beautiful Shots Hilke!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  15. theconstantwalkerMarch 9, 2011 at 2:36 PM

    Brilliant captures of a lovely bird. Some of our local Cheshire forests are home to our Crossbills but I not even seen one never mind take a picture. A lovely bird to see.

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  16. Hilke BrederMarch 9, 2011 at 3:17 PM

    Thank you, Jean!
    Thank you, Joo!
    Thank you, Fotokarusellen!
    Thank you, Gary!
    Thank you, Andrew! You wouldn't ordinarily see this bird at a feeder. So I am not sure what made it do so, but that's the only reason I got so close.

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  17. Kah-Wai LinMarch 9, 2011 at 4:50 PM

    Nice blog! I would love to follow up your blog:)

    Kah Wai
    http://kwbirding.blogspot.com/

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  18. Harold StiverMarch 9, 2011 at 5:16 PM

    Great series of close ups. I've seen no Crossbills this winter. They must have all gone south to see you

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  19. PatMarch 9, 2011 at 11:13 PM

    Congratulations on the addition to your life list! He is a pretty bird. Your close-up photos show amazing detail!

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  20. Pat UlrichMarch 9, 2011 at 11:17 PM

    such a remarkable species -- wonderful close-up series!

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  21. Mike B.March 9, 2011 at 11:57 PM

    Love that bird! Such a strange beak...

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  22. Stewart MMarch 10, 2011 at 2:59 AM

    WHat great birds - that bill is just the tool for pine cones.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Australia

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  23. SpringmanMarch 10, 2011 at 4:48 PM

    What a brilliant and exciting series Hilke! Splendid story too! You really heeded the call and were rewarded with these gorgeous photos to share. Every day I realise how much more there is to know and see. A White winged crossbill, who knew?

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  24. UnknownMarch 10, 2011 at 6:24 PM

    What a lovely visitor! Lucky you! :-) The bottom shot is fantastic.

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  25. Sallie (FullTime-Life)March 10, 2011 at 11:00 PM

    Oh that's a wonderful bird. And you got terrific shots. I don't even think I've ever seen a picture of this bird before! I love the ones with his head tipped. He has beautiful colors. Thanks for sharing your life list find!!

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  26. Hilke BrederMarch 11, 2011 at 4:48 AM

    Thank you all, Ka Wai, Harold, Pat, Pat Ulrich, Mike B, Stewart M, Springman, JM and Sallie. Never in my life did I think I would get this close to a WWC! Usually the only way to see them, if at all, is in the top most branches of a conifer where all the best cones are. I was so lucky!

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  27. SondraMarch 11, 2011 at 8:03 AM

    Your photos just kept getting better as I scrolled down-beautiful series and I totally love the last shot--that bill is perfectly designed for the job!

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  28. NatureFootstepMarch 11, 2011 at 5:52 PM

    what a great serie of shots. This bird is definitively worth waiting for. Love its colors and the bill.

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  29. ChrisMarch 12, 2011 at 4:00 PM

    Wow what a beautiful visitor! fantastic! I'd love to see him!

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  30. GuyMarch 12, 2011 at 8:15 PM

    Hi Hilke

    Wonderful photos. These pictures really show off all the colouration in the feathers. I like to think I can get a real sense of his personality as I scroll from shot to shot.

    Thanks Guy

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  31. Hilke BrederMarch 13, 2011 at 7:51 AM

    Thank you, Sondra, Nature Footsteps, Chris and Guy! I am glad the pics came out so well and the bird cooperated by gradually moving from a dark place into the sunlight.

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  32. Pedro SeguraMarch 14, 2011 at 2:26 PM

    Brilliant close up series of this magnificent crossbill (piquituerto), Hilke, thanks for sharing!

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  33. Robin RobinsonMarch 19, 2011 at 9:06 AM

    Of course, you know I'd think these were wonderful shots! Like my most recent WW crossbill, your's is also quite orange tinged. I have noticed much variation in the foliage of these birds. Some of them are almost cherry red while others are more orange. From a distance, one migh mistake one for an oriole at quick glance. I love the last shot, esp. of the ice eating. I have shots of them eating snow carved up with that sharp bill and filched out with the tongue. These birds have reminded me of parakeets. Nice post!

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