Parrots at Budby

I'd been waiting all week for a trip out to Budby Heath today, although when it came to it I got to site a little later then planned due to Christmas festivities last night... and of course, I arrived just in time to see a flock of 14 crossbills heading south-west - apparently the Parrots! Nearly 2 hours passed before I had better views, but the time passed quickly with some good birding banter, plus the Great Grey Shrike as a brief interlude.

After a brief view of the crossbill flock of to the south, all 14 Parrot Crossbills then flew into a pine next to the main east-west track (causing a bit of a stampede), before flying closer and landing in an oak tree right next to the assembled throng; then cautiously dropping down to drink from a puddle on the track, just a few metres from the nearest observer. And then they flew south west. Very nice indeed - although it's a shame I couldn't get any decent photos. 

Parrots drinking from the puddle centre-shot

Heading back to the Trent Valley, Collingham Pits was fairly quiet; the modest numbers of wildfowl on Ferry Lane Lake included a redhead Goosander and 37 Pochard, whilst there was a Redshank and 4 Curlew on the Silt Lagoon.