This afternoon (between 2:55 and 3:20 p.m.) I had about 30 minutes between jobs to check out Spring Grove Cemetery sections 52 & 53 again for what has now almost certainly become my favorite winter bird, the white-winged crossbill. The birds showed up quickly and right on schedule, with a flock of 18 (direct count) loquacious WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS flying in from the direction of section 65 or 77 into the top of a couple of spruces in section 52. I scoped a couple of males in the top of one of these spruces before they noisily flew again, this time into the back of section 53 into the hemlocks and many were viewed actively feeding (including the now infamous and probably well photographed immature male) in front of the shelter house (this is actually on the cemetery map in that section). This flock of 18 was soon joined by an estimated flock of 15+ coming in over the tops of spruces (or from them?) from section 52. Part of the flock from the hemlock
 then flew into the sweet gum tree in section 53 and were more easily viewed in this deciduous tree than in the conifers. I counted 18 birds in the sweet gum which were later joined by another 10 birds (another direct count) which commenced actively feeding on the sweet gum. Excellent scope views allowed study of the crossbill's feeding technique, as well as a look at the crossing of the bills. For what it's worth, one male had the upper mandible crossing to the right over the lower mandible which curved to the left while another male and an adult female had the upper mandible crossing to the left over the lower mandible which curved to the right. (Not sure what the literature has to say about this, if one crossing is dominant over another?).


I could hear more chatter elsewhere in sections 52 and 53. Unfortunately I had to leave at 3:20 and go to my other job in Kentucky but as I drove away I could still hear crossbills chattering in section 52. All of the vocalizations heard were white-wingeds. No Reds were heard or seen on this visit.

In all, I had a direct count of 28 birds in the sweet gum, with the potential of a high estimate of about 33 birds (the first flock of 18 plus the estimated 15 that first joined them; I did not double-count birds in the sweet gum, some of them were most likely from these earlier flocks that flew from the hemlocks). It was interesting and unexpected to see the birds feeding on sweet gum, an unexpected addition to their diet.

Pine Siskins were heard but not seen, could not tell how many were calling. Also, 7 calling cedar waxwings were fly-overs over section 53. No Bohemians heard or seen. Finally, a golden-crowned kinglet was seen in the sweet gum with the crossbills, as were c. chickadees and titmice.

 
David A. Brinkman, M.Ed.
Cincinnati, OH

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