More Common Crossbill and the shrike still around

I watched a nice party of Common Crossbills coming down to drink on Farley Moor today and for a change we had some sunshine. I've seen up to thirty crossbills in the last few days but generally just flying over so it was nice to see them at close quarters.

Common Crossbill - female (L) and perhaps an immature male with green in the plumage

The Great Grey Shrike is still around but is proving very elusive covering the area from behind Matlock Golf Club and Matlock Moor to the Farley clearfell area and perhaps also Bottom Moor.

Great Grey Shrike

I've had a good month so far having recorded 82 species in the Darley Dale area (Matlock, Bakewell, Chatsworth, Youlgreave & Beeley Moor) surprisingly I've still to see Sparrowhawk, for which I blame the weather and so far no Skylark.

I've updated my write-up on the shrike.