I hope you will indulge with me as I don't have a question just something to share!!
For the last couple of weeks, there have been reports of sightings flocks of Waxwings 200 strong in the town I live but I've not been able to track then down. In the morning I managed to see a small group of 10 and thought my luck was in, however, walking up to the town later a came across a group of about 90 birds - in the middle of a residential area. It was truely amazing to see and hear them. All I had with me was my very old phone and managed to take this terrible picture but it will be one I will always treasure.
Thanks for listening!
Kathy and Dave,
Sighting reports show that there are still Waxwings in this area - I live on the London/Essex border - I'm hoping to catch sight of some more this weekend.
Regards,
Jeff.
Very jealous!!!
I was so hoping to see some! My partner and I thought we might have seen one in its first winter plumage, but it flew by us so fast we couldn't be sure!
I'm still holding out hope!
Must have been brilliant to see them!
Sarah
Brilliant . So glad you finally got to see them.
Susan
I know the feeling!
I finally saw a flock of a dozen waxwings today in Billingshurst, West Sussex. Obviously this was at a time when I wasn't looking for them, didn't expect to see them and didn't have either camera or binoculars!
Oooo Jealous!! I thought I saw one outside work a while back, but I haven't 'ticked it off' because it was only brief and sitting at my desk by the time I'd pressed myself up against the window it had gone!
Nikki x
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nix107/
I'm way over in the North West. They just don't visit here. They are beautiful birds. My favourite. Definitely on my Bucket List to see one.
Congrats. :)
Denise
LiverBird
Don't give up hope! Waxwing are an "irruptive" species; they only come over to the UK in winter from Scandinavia, when there are insufficient berries for them over there, usually in hard winters. When they do come, they tend to make landfall in the North East, but can stay for some weeks, and then spread out around the country.
This thread dates from Winter 2010-11, which was definitely a "waxwing winter" - I ended up seeing flocks here in Sussex on 3 occasions. Having said that, I have seen hardly any reports of them this winter.