If female red crossbills do not sing then this tentative ID does not get
out of the starting blocks!
I was drawn to this bird by its song while it was perched on a snag with
the morning sun coming from behind it at about 45 degrees. The squat shape
of the bird with a deep notched tail and the lemonny/yellow color said "red
crossbill female". The bird took of spiraling heavenward in a half circle
in order to make the upper canopy of a grove of white pines.
The song was sweet, without the jarring and guttural sounds that the
Smithsonian recordings generally indicate for red crossbill although one of the
recordings is somewhat sweeter. The flight call was a series of "tsinks"
to my ears!
Any thoughts would be helpful.
I have not entered "it" on the report of birds seen today at Kent Pond.
 
Kent Pond, Rutland, US-VT
Sep 24, 2012 8:10 AM - 10:05 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)

22 species

Canada Goose 68 On the pond.
Mallard 10
Blue-winged Teal 6
Common Loon 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 42 Mostly moving south in small flocks, largest was 15.
American Crow 5
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 1
Gray Catbird 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1
Song Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 3
American Goldfinch 4


Cheers,
Roy Pilcher
The Gables at East Mountain, Rutland, Vermont

Speaking the same language.