Crossbill

Today's the day ....................... to tick off

Despite the miserable weather today, we took a run up to see the Big Water of Fleet Viaduct (see extra) to the north of Gatehouse of Fleet. It was part of the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire railway, which opened in 1861 and is quite an impressive sight.

What we didn't expect to see was this brightly-coloured male crossbill - that was actually on the roof of one of the near-by cottages.  It's not a bird that you would normally find this far south in Scotland.  Apparently though, in some years, continental crossbills arrive in large numbers from Scandinavia, attracted by the now mature planted forests in this area.  The trees are producing good crops of the pine cones that they feed on with the help of that characteristic, specially adapted bill.
  
It's something that has been on my 'birds-I-would-love-to-see' tick list for many years and it was a real treat to see it .......................