Garden Waxwings

Saturday morning and out I went to fill up the feeders in the back garden. Perched on top of the trees overlooking the garden was a flock of Starlings......or so I thought. I did a retake though when I heard the sound of 'trilling' bells and then realised that the Starlings were in fact Waxwings. One of those birding dreams you have as a youngster....to have a flock of Waxwings in your own back garden. I put a plate of apples out but couldn't tempt them down. Following what was a cold frosty night they spent the next couple of hours just sitting in those trees enjoying the sunshine. By 10.30am they vanished, appearing later in the afternoon as the light was dimming.
Sunday morning and they were back again and this time the flock had swelled to over thirty birds. They were dropping occassionally onto to a couple of rowan trees further up the road but spent more time flycatching from the tree-tops.

Waxwings (plus lone Starling) - taken from the bedroom window :-)

Local Wax

Work and studying and ever shortening amounts of daylight are collectively curtailing my birding activities.
I got back late Friday night after a week spent in York where I had been receiving a crash course on Physiology, Pharmacology and Immunology. Between work, studying for an exam and winter's ever tightening grip, the birding has been few and far between.
All is not lost though. A flock of Waxwings has taken up residence locally, so I popped out last Saturday afternoon and again on Sunday morning for a quick look.
They are rapidly munching their way through the Rowans on Charles Watling Way near Bowthorpe and also on Chapel Break Road. The flock was approximately twenty-five birds though some reports say fifty plus so I suspect they are being joined from time to time by a second flock. The flock is a bit skittish and light was bad so not great photos - but still, as always, great birds!

Waxwing, Bowthorpe, Norwich