Washburn Valley Welcomes Parrots Of The Pine Forest
Visitors to our Washburn Valley sites, near Harrogate, could have been forgiven for thinking they'd entered an exotic bird sanctuary last weekend, as colourful parrot-like birds flocked around the woodlands and reservoirs.
Since Friday 9th October hundreds of crossbill - known as 'the parrot of the pine forests' as a result of their similarity both in terms of appearance and behaviour to that of a parrot - have brought colour and plenty of noise to the woods of Timble Ings and the reservoirs at Thruscross, Swinsty and Fewston.
And whilst they're not a rare site in the UK, it is uncommon to see such large numbers of this unusual looking bird in the Washburn Valley, with many experts putting their mass appearance down to the strong winds of late coupled with the fact that the valley offers ideal conditions for the species to thrive.
Crossbill, often encountered in noisy family groups or larger flocks, are much loved by bird enthusiasts for their parrot-like characteristics which include a stout build, clumsy looking beak and a habit of sidling along branches while they hold them in one foot. Their peculiarly shaped beak is ideally designed for extracting seeds from conifer cones, which is their main food source. According to folklore, the crossbill got its beak when it attempted to remove the nails from Jesus' hands and feet as he was crucified on the cross.
Crossbill isn't the only species thriving in the Washburn Valley, with UK native species such as siskin and redpoll taking advantage of the abundant food sources, including conifer trees which they love for their seeds.
The creation of nesting baskets around the site has also positively impacted on other species, with barn, tawny and long-eared owls now thriving as a result of such initiatives.
