Wow! What A Lovely Bird!

After watching the posts on our state Listserve Cobirds about White-winged Crossbills, I finally made time to visit the Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins to see if I could find them. I've seen them before, but not in my county.
I gave myself plenty of time before work started at 10, arriving at the location at 8:15 a.m.
I stepped out of my car, grabbed my camera and binocs as I heard an interesting twitter and chatter. I looked over into this ash tree and there he was, see'im?

I could not find the female that was supposed to be with him. He flew down to the canal almost at my feet.

What a beautiful, inquisitive bird!
He seemed to be picking up grit. Then he ventured out on to the ice. Possibly for winter bugs, definitely for a bit of a drink.
He turned he head sideways to get a drink.
He stayed out there for quite sometime.
Lovely view of his back.
He then flew and just about landed on my head before veering sharply away to land in a spruce quite close. I know my hair is a bit.. well.. of it's own mind, but never thought it'd be mistaken for a spruce tree. Green jacket too.. hmm.

It stayed in the spruce before being flushed by a robin to another spruce tree, where it landed high, only to be flushed by a crow. It flew to another tree and was out on the branches eating for quite sometime when I left. What a great way to start the day!