Life List Sighting - Red Crossbill

Day 255: Meet Loxia curvirostra, the Red Crossbill. It is not every day that a birdwatcher gets a Life List sighting, and certainly not at their own feeders. I have been observing a pair of unidentified birds for the last several days, unable to get a clear look at them until this morning. When they arrived today, I was sitting on the back porch, camera in one hand and a field guide in the other. The field guide was unnecessary except to confirm what I discovered.

You wouldn't think that Mr. Red Crossbill's crossed bill could reach through the screen to pick out nyjer seed, but now I know why it's been disappearing in such quantity lately. Like the Pine Siskins shown beside him, this male hung upside-down to feed, gobbling seeds down as fast as he could manage. The female stayed inside the roofed feeder at the top of the pole and I was unable to get a "field guide" shot of her, however I am thrilled...let me emphasize that!...THRILLED to have captured the male in a pose which shows almost all of his distinguishing characteristics.