Crossbills at Farnham Heath

22nd October 2025

There have been hundreds of Crossbills pouring into the UK recently with several reports from Farnham Heath so time to explore this new site for me. As we first made our way to the famous "puddle" where they had been photographed we passed a single specimen of Fly Agaric by the path. Well that's a good start.

We eventually reached the puddle which is now lightly larger after the recent rains and peered over the fence, only to flush a couple of Wood Larks which flew up into a nearby tree and started singing. Only one bird was visible which was in shade with its back to us, so no photographs. Well, that was unexpected!

There were, however, a couple of Stonechats nearby which provided a few shots. The first appears to be a moulting juvenile female................

.......................and the second a male.

We then walked east to the main heath and found a spot where we could hear the buzzing chir of a Dartford Warbler coming from thick cover. It would often break cover and fly a few yards before disappearing back into deep cover once again.

We eventually established there were two birds present and at one point one of the birds perched inside a Silver Birch sapling which allowed me to grab a couple of shots of this elusive bird before it once again went to ground.

So what about the Crossbills? Well, up to now we hadn't seen or heard a single Crossbill despite it being a very calm day. However, when we were sat on a bench having some lunch I could hear some Crossbills flying behind us but was unable to see them, but talking to some other birders this was a flock of some 50 birds.

About half an hour later I could hear a small flock of Redpolls flying over and it was when I was trying to locate these that I heard a single Crossbill quite close by. I turned round and there was a superb single bright red male perched in full sun at the top of one of the many Scots Pines.

And then as a parting gift it flew straight at us.

What a fantastic day!!!