Two separate flocks of white-winged crossbills were found in northern Tuscarawas County this morning.  As I left home near Zoar a movement in a single hemlock tree along my driveway caught my eye.  I stopped the car and was nearly face-to-face with a male white-winged crossbill.  Just fifteen feet away I could see several of them feeding on the numerous seed cones.  I moved a short distance away and watched from the car as a total of 5 crossbills fed in the ice-covered tree.  

 I continued my trip to the Beach City Wildlife Area north of the town of Dundee.  Initially I had intended to go there to see the ice flows on two small waterfalls on this beautiful, very cold and sunny morning.  Once I had found the crossbills at home feeding in the hemlock, it dawned on me just how many hemlocks there are in the sandstone gorges at Beach City.  I arrived to find plenty of ice to enjoy as anticipated.  I began scanning the trees for crossbills and wasn't disappointed.  I quickly found another flock of 8 white-winged crossbills feeding here.

 And I'll take this opportunity to report a sighting from yesterday in Akron.  The feeders out my office window on North Reservoir have had plenty of birds lately including up to 3 pine siskins.  Yesterday the thistle feeder was dripping with goldfinches and siskins.  The high count on pine siskins observed was 11.  A flock of common grackles numbering 26 found the feeders yesterday too.  And a single Carolina wren continues to feed on suet there.  

Dan Kramer                                                                                                                                          Dover


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