15-20 Red Crossbills--some high, some low, easy to see--feeding in sweetgums around 12:30 at the intersection of Powerhouse Trail and Spur Trail (by the large abandoned building) at North Point State Park. Variety of plumages. Good views, even a couple with crossed bills--no wing bars. When spooked by me or something else, they all took off toward the northeast, but unfortunately I didn't see them land again. This might be the first red Xs found at this spot of late; at least 3 different times ww X's have been found here. Lots of fun stumbling onto them! I'd sort of gotten tired of looking for Xs and was focusing on a brown thrasher (!) nearby and other stuff when I happened to look up and see them. They were very quiet in the trees. When they flew off, they made little calls in the territory of type 3, but I can't be at all certain.
Tim Houghton
(Glen Arm)
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