The Waxwing invasion in to Leicestershire continues with new groups being found almost daily. Just a tip if you want to find your own Waxwings. First get to know where there are still trees & bushes with berries. The ones Waxwings definitely favour are rowans, red (wee orangey red ones best), yellow then white/pink in that order, then whitebeam and hawthorn next.They also then prefer a very tall tree to look over the feeding site where they perch sometimes for ages before small groups flutter down to feed. I have found probably 300 birds this way in just the last week and a half. Once you get your eye in it's not difficult and it's also possible to differentiate between Waxwings and the other medium sized flock bird the Starling. In fact I have located three groups of 30-60 just from seeing them in flight whilst driving.
Whilst I managed to fit in finding more Waxwings between non bird related meetings, others from the group were busy at Charnwood Lodge this afternoon. They added another 15 colour ringed Chaffinches to the total so far. Please keep an eye out and report any you see Report colour ringed Chaffinch
Star bird of the day at Charnwood Lodge was this striking adult Woodcock. The wing shot shows buffish white tips to the primary coverts, ageing it as a 6 (i.e an adult). A shot of the underside of the tail showing silvery white tips confirming it as an adult.
After many hours of searching, observing and trying we finally added to our Waxwing total today. I had taken the day as leave to play golf with a friend (postponed by early snow). Mid morning the snow cleared and I was just on the way to play 9 holes but thought I'd better check a couple of rowan I had been keeping an eye on in Whetstone, am I glad I did? There in a willow overlooking the site on the industrial estate were 40 birds. I cancelled golf (again) and hastily erected a mist net on the tarmac car park (no mean feat using pallets, an old tyre, a bucket full of sand and a discarded electric motor to fix and tie off to). Immediately I caught one, then five went in the net but four got out due to a brisk wind. Anyway, an hour or so later I had ringed and released nine new birds including three adults (one shown below). Many workers came out to have a look and lots of photographs were taken by folks with digicams (I was so busy I only managed a couple myself). I was however able to demonstrate and explain the ringing process to many. Thanks to Coherant for permission to ring in their car park. An excellent, albeit impromptu, ringing session.
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