Search for Crossbills, Broomhead Reservoir 14th December 2013

Search for Crossbills, Broomhead Reservoir 14th December 2013

Two barred Crossbill Broomhead Reservoir Dec 2013

I had been looking for weeks at the sightings of Two-barred and Common Crossbills listed on the Birdguides “Bird News Anywhere” site but had not yet found the time to get over to Broomhead Reservoir which is nearly at Sheffield. On a Sunday and the weather looking reasonable, we decided to give it a bash. I still was not sure whether I could rely on the Ross’s Goose at Marshside two days ago to give me the tick that took me over last years species count so this opportunity to add to my 2013 year list and, indeed, to possibly add two life ticks was too good to miss.We took the Woodhead Pass and dropped down through Midhopestones and took the incredibly steep and windy path down to Broomhead Reservoir. We parked at a a lay-by on New Road and walked along the road past the turning for Lower Bradfield (this actually called Mill Lane on the maps which is confusing. Just past this turnoff but still on the main road we stood with our backs toward the reservoir and looked up into the larches here. There were around twenty birders there. Apparently we had just missed them – a familiar story. However, we kept our eyes open and eventually a small bunch of Two-barred Crossbills appeared feeding off the cones on the Larch tree. They showed incredibly well and the two wing bars were as clear as could be and the males very colourful. At last I had got the tick that took me over last years total !

We stayed looking at these birds for around twenty minutes and then we decided to head for the feeders in the woods to see if we could find anything there. We walked back up the road turning left up Mill Lane then right at the path that leads into the woods on the right, Rushy Lane. Along here we encountered some birders standing near an opening where there were a couple of feeders and various tree stumps where people had placed food. I set up my scope and pretty soon I saw in the distance, at the top of a tree, a couple of birds that looked interesting. I got the scope on the female first and looking around I also located a Male. It was a Crossbill but there were no wing bars so that meant for me  a second life tick of the day – Common Crossbills. I watched them for a while getting pretty good views before they flew off.

On the tree stumps there were truly phenomenal numbers of Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Chaffinches. There was also a single Nuthatch but in the woods in general there were several large mixed flocks of Finches and Tits. A few landed on a tree close to us and they includes Blue Tit, Goldfinch and Siskin.

We could have spent much longer in the woods but the weather was threatening to turn a bit and it had got quite gloomy so we decided to head back home before any rain made the steep, narrow roads out of the valley even more difficult to negotiate. As it happens the weather held so we stopped at Ye Olde Mustard Pot at Midhopestones where we had a nice, late, lunch in front of a big open fire. We got home in good time happy that we had made the effort and been able to add two life ticks that also meant that we had exceeded our 2013 year list by two species – or perhaps three,of course, if we can count the Ross’s Goose !

Bird Sightings : Broomhead Reservoir