Some Crossbills in Ashdown Forest this afternoon

Female Crossbill having just extracted the pine seed ready to eat it.

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Male Crossbills.  https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/crossbill/

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The exact location of these sightings and below the walking route: 3.1miles and 452 ft of ascent and descent.

 

Cows pulling down Spindle tree branches on Wolstonbury Hill and "The Pride of Sussex" still in flower.

 When clearing scrub with "The Friends... www.wolstonbury.com " Spindle trees were spared due to their relative scarcity at this location.

All have been trashed, I noticed yesterday, presumably by the resident cows, which appear to really go for these trees it seems.

So it is not just elephants that pull or push down trees it seems.

Spindle Tree 

Where the scrub has been cleared in earlier years "The Pride of Sussex" and Greater Knapweed are now flowering.

Looking westwards towards Chanctonbury Hill.  Click on any picture to enlarge it.