Crossbills a plenty

Late afternoon yesterday, I took a walk around Sandford Park with my mums dog and as a birding location would not normally bother here, but it brought a most unexpected and very welcome turn up. I was 100 yards from the car facing more less NW and suddenly I could hear sharp 'jip jip' calls ahead of me, I could immediately see a large flock of Crossbill heading East at about 150-200ft. I quickly did 2 counts and got 42 & 44, they entered DP airspace just south of Sandford Lane, but must have flown almost directly above it to somewhere just shy of Sandford Mill, when they veered left and plunged out of the sky, where I lost them behind trees at 17:15. I could not relocate them. This was my 125th species for the year, my sixth highest ever, still 4 short of my fifth and lots of year left, so can maybe hope for a late Grasshopper Warbler, passage Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper, Autumn may bring a Ringed Plover, Stonechat and, or Whinchat, Black Tern, Spotted Flycatcher.......but it gets tricky after that, maybe Whimbrel?