Two-barred Crossbill at Lynford Arboretum

Tick 260 for 2013 came today in the shape of three Two-barred Crossbill at Lynford Arboretum.
I parked in the car park at 9am and walked just across the road to the gate at the entrance to the Arboretum where a small twitch had already gathered. Within a couple of minutes I was enjoying my first ever views of these Scandinavian visitors as a female and two juveniles sat in a nearby Larch tree eating cones amongst the local Common Crossbills and Siskins.

Distant record shot of a Two-barred Crossbill 

I then moved on and stopped to scan a group of raptors to find Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard,Red Kite Kestrel and Sparrow Hawk before having to pull over pretty quick when a Montagu's Harrier flew past. I managed to get the scope set up on the female as she hunted along the hedgerow for several minutes.

Distant record shot of a Montagu's Harrier