6 very streaky juvenile crossbills were feeding in larch trees on the southern edge of Coed Y Bont today, very active and excitable. I couldn't see if they were actually eating seeds from the cones or maybe buds from the sweet new growth as I was struggling with my camera but I suspect the latter, not least because I can hardly believe there any seeds left in the cones after the feeding frenzies we witnessed during the winter.
In my reading around for info on Crossbill food at this time of year I kept coming across references to Peter Davis, our very own MBE honoured retired ornithologist and recipient of the WOS Lifetime Achievement Award from Iolo last November, who had made a study of irruptive species in the 60's.