Waxwings are a winter visitor from Scandinavia and the like, about the size of a Starling (and very similar to in flight, particularly in big flocks) with peachy colours and awesome red and yellow 'wax' like blobs on their feather tips. They also have a really cool 'quif-like' hairdo. They are a fluctuating winter visitor so they don't come every year, only when food stocks run short on the Continent, this year though plenty have been in the Country and so i've had my fair share of views. They love to feed on berries in big flocks, usually Rowan and Hawthorn in early winter and Cotoneaster later on (Jan onwards). Rowan and Cotoneaster are usually found in modern housing and development estates so making finding and viewing of these smart birds excellent. I have also found that the Waxwing is one of a very few kinds of bird that for some reason are (to a point obviously) relatively unafraid of Humans, making viewing opportunities for them much better than most birds.
Usually finding them means looking for big flocks of birds feeding on these berry-type plants, but another way of identifying their presence is by listening. Their call is very unique and a real treat to hear and this can be heard both in flight and when sat resting or feeding.
^^ Came across this wonderful flock of around 40 Waxwing in town the other day. They ran me around a bit first of all, on my 1960's Peugeot bicycle in between the narrow back streets of Preston, before finally landing on a large Ash tree near Avenham park (Preston), and then eventually moving onto a Cotoneaster bush below. They gorged on the bright red berries, calling as they went, for a good half hour before moving on.
Later on that day i encountered another flock around 20 nearer to Ashton, again starting in a big group on a larger tree (Poplar this time i think), then moving down into a Cotoneaster in someone's garden (lucky them! although knowing most people they probably didn't recognise them as Waxwings and probably thought they were just large Sparrows. Although lets be honest, they probably didn't even recognise Birds were in their garden at all.
Two day later though i completed a life ambition and found 2 Waxwings within the vacinity of my own garden! Couldn't believe my luck, something i've wished for since i started Birding properly a decade ago. Unfortunately these flew off within twenty minutes, i have however put apples out since and can only hope they return.
The most waxwings i've seen since their arrival in the Country in early Winter, and a great week of waxies overall.
Anyone else seen any Waxwings recently?
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