Hi --

Folks might note that Mark's photos clearly ID the species of tree in which
the Crossbills have been foraging at Centennial -- they are Douglas Fir (as
had been speculated before). If you look at the cones you can see the
emergent seeds protruding from under the scales - which have a sharp point
and two duller points to either side -- noted in field guides as looking
like "a mouse's tail and two hind feet."

However they have definitely been found in spruce in some areas, & also of
course their favorite Hemlocks. I was coming home yesterday morning and
closing the gate to our driveway, heard clearly a crossbill call and turned
to see two chunky birds fly into one of our more distant hemlocks. I had no
bins, when I came out with bins in hand I could not relocate them. Dang!

Gail Mackiernan
Colesville, MD

on 02/11/2009 8:07 PM, Mark L Hoffman at  wrote:

> Pics (six) of the Centennial WWCR from this am, both in the south area and in
> the north sections. 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.pbase.com/wcbirding/image/109116810
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks to visiting birds Tom Hoelscher for finding the south birds.
> 
> 
> 
> Mark Hoffman