Sunday, 9 November 2025

Elusive Dunwich crossbills

At 7.30am, I was at Dunwich, nice and early I parked up by Westleton Heath car park, a puddle was at car park entrance plus a couple of photographers were lying down concealed within the verge opposite. I decided to first walk to the Archers car park and I immediately had a male Crossbill chipping at it flew east alas it flew into the Archers archery range wood. So I couldn't access. As I walked back along the path 4 very low Crossbills flew right over my head again chipping showing dumpy bodies and neatly forked tails but alas they kept flying east. These are my first Crossbill sightings of this year. Having heard them on two occasions recently flying overhead but not locating them as they flew over. A Tit flock by the road included Blue and Great Tit, 4 LT Tits, plus a Treecreeper. I also heard a Wood Lark. A 3 hour vigil with the Toggers revealed a further Wood Lark singing overhead and a Dartford Warbler seen flying into a nearby bush, a necessary comfort break and visit back at the Archers car revealed a further 4 Crossbills flying overhead again, plus 1 Crossbill, a male flying west. I joined the Toggers 10 m inutes later to hear the male Crossbill had sat in the trees opposite for 5 minutes and it had only just flown. We did see 2 male Crossbills fly over the road and west. News of a Sibe Chiff- Chaff at the Buddlea bushes back at Dunelm & Asda I travelled back and despite walking round 3X all I saw were 2 Robins and a Blue Tit. I bumped into Derek M and his wife and it was now 1.15pm they said was an Issy Shrike down at North Warren, surely too late to travel down as it now takes 90 minutes to get down there and parking is always extremely difficult at North Warren as there would have been just 30 minutes of daylight left, and it was very distant I didn't go, which was a great shame, will try Wednesday if it is still about. Again no pics. I later heard the Sibe Chiff- Chaff was seen again at 2.45pm, so a very frustrating day all round.

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