Waxwings

there are loads of them in the country at the moment,mostly along the east coast,but they are pushing west. You would do well to look for berry laden trees,good places to look are supermarket carparks as they feed on the berries and once they have eaten the lot they will move on. for an up to date sightings of them go to www.birdguides.com

good luck.
 
Some years relatively few waxwings arrive - usually from some time in October onwards, in other years there are hundreds if not thousands. This year looks like being a good year.

I heard of them being seen from Shetland to Norfolk. As they come in from Scandinavia the east coast is usually a good place, but as Mex has said they are spreading.

I'm in Gairloch on the NW coast of Scotland just now and there are probably over a hundred in the area which have been here for a couple of weeks to my knowledge.

In flight the flocks look very like starlings, except they are lighter underneath, though against the sky that is not always easy to see. It is only when they land that the shape, markings and crest become visible. So if you are in an area which does not normally have many starlings and you see what seem to be starlings, have another look.

Good luck, they are superb birds.

Dave
 
It's just your luck you know. Right place, right time and all that. I'd been actively looking for them for about three weeks. I was getting up early and driving round everywhere there was a hedgerow with rowans or hawthorns. My favourite place was about where I'd caught the flock of Fieldfares a couple of weeks ago. Sitting in a car for hours on end staring at 'potential' hedges and trees........Nothing......

Then, whilst sitting working in the office on a normal weekday, my wife called me on the phone. She was out walking the dog and she informed me that there was a flock of 20-30 waxwings a few doors up from our house in the same street. Clear as day in the front garden of a neighbours house.:eek:

I dropped everything, jumped in the car with my gear and couldn't believe what I saw.


5D3_5408 by LYT4X, on Flickr

They didn't hang about for more than a day. The next day there was nothing but crows. If my wife hadn't known what they were, or hadn't been walking the dog in that direction, I'd have captured nothing.

It was the highlight of my week though. I've been looking at pictures of waxwings in books since I was eight (!) and I never believed we would get them here. Stunning birds.(y)
 
A Waxwing was being reported in Hexham recently on Birdguides, not sure how many or where. As stated anywhere with berries is an option, but they can often return to high trees in groups (Poplar).

I left Hexham many years ago, but as i remember Wentworth car park area might be a place to see them, also round the park east of the Sele, there are plenty large gardens in Hexham with ornamental bushes, its a case of just being lucky.
 
If you're on twitter follow @WaxwingsUK as there are twice daily updates with sightings

Neil
 
Hi Will, had a pal went to Hexham on Saturday, and there were plenty there. He returned on Sunday but only a few remaining. There have been plenty around the Asda car park at the Metro Centre over the last few days. They won't hang about though once they've cleaned out the berries
 
Unfortunately the reports will always be after the event - they can't be predicted, other than they are likely to turn up from October.

They are still here in Gairloch but if they keep eating the berries at the same rate as they did last week, they will move on soon.

The latest BirdGuides newsletter said there were about 1000 at Kyle of Lochalsh, which as the crow flies is not that far from here, three days ago.

They could turn up anywhere.

Dave
 
waxwings were seen near stoneyhaugh which is near Wark northumberland on sunday but didn,t have camera with me, a flock of around 15/20 birds
 
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