UKH

Higher numbers than average been reported on the east coast (4,000 in total so far !) so keep your eyes peeled. I’ve done an excellent job of nearly seeing lots of great and rare birds recently, hope you folks have better luck than me.  

There were spotted and photographed in Drumnadrochit a few days ago. A cluster of them in one tree.

Good stuff. Waxwings have been spotted in the exact (to within a millimetre) same places as I’ve recently been, hours water I’ve left. Had great views in the past though (saw 300 in Manchester once !). 

They do seem to be widespread. They have been seen around Loch Ewe and Gairloch in the last week.

Unfortunately for me I'm not there. The last time I saw any was over ten years ago in Gairloch when, for a few days, they were everywhere.

Dave

The Moss Side waxwings, November 2013. Let’s hope we get more of this !  

Only ever seen one, this spring, the one that seemed to be "stuck" in a tree in Bolton in a residential area for a considerable time.

On the east coast for the weekend so maybe I'll see some.

Recent winds and forecast winds may push even more in. Saw a video of a flock of 4,000 in Stockholm !    East is best at the moment. Good luck. 

Yes there's been quite few  reports  of smallish flocks around where I live on the other side of the coast.  I've even seen them on the single Rowan tree in our local Sainsbury's 

We've also had reports of numerous other smaller warblers, 2 barred, whitethroats black redstart, spotted flycatcher's, rosefinches, chiffchaffs, etc., etc.,  and even a Hoopoe at our local recycling depot.

None so far.

If you ever need good views of Turnstones or Purple Sandpipers, just go to Bridlington harbour and look over the harbour wall. 

Very, very poor photo of PS (it's there in the shadows), it was about 4' below my feet so not much more than 10' from my face, so felt I had to try a shot, but because of the sunlight, I just had to roughly point the phone without zooming.

With a decent camera or with a scope, you could get some really good shots, and all within easy distance of 🍦 and amusement arcades.

It’s been a great year for unusual birds, it’s all this crazy weather and strong winds. Might nip out on Sunday - plenty good raptors and short eared owls near me. 

It's only been great for birdwatchers. For the birds, all this being blown across the Atlantic is very bad. Will they be able to get back? Maybe some of the waders and gulls, but small songbirds, not a chance. And for every bird that gets blown across, how many have drowned part way across (I hadn't thought about it this way until I heard it being pointed out by someone from the BTO on radio 4 the other day).

Had some great views of Short-eared Owls hunting at Bempton this morning. But only 2, apparently they had 6! in the area yesterday.

Geese, thousands of Pink-footed, the noise 😁, especially when 2-3,000 decide to take off at the same time. It's interesting seeing the take-offs, like a wave going through the flock "err all the geese infront of me have taken off, I better take off then".

Earlier, a quick view of Hen Harrier as the mist was clearing (male, nice but it's a ringtail I really still want to see) and a Merlin, but always against the sky so not sure about sex (or should that be gender 😁). Still awaiting that definitive view of a male.

Also, at Bempton they've got a nice "little" flock of Tree Sparrows, almost in your face.

Edit: still no Waxwings.

Yes, it was earlier in the year I read that there could be huge loss on long crossings in a wildlife article. Forgotten the species of small bird they specifically mentioned as an example, but it was as low as 1:20 estimated that survived the sea crossing in bad conditions from USA in that case. Sad reality of nature.

I’ll need to see if I can get out tomorrow and try and find some waxwings. On my “list” to see beside photogenic birds I would love to get shots of.

I’m on the Broad Hill overlooking the beach at Aberdeen right now. There is a flock of waxwings flirting from tree to tree. Or was… a hawk has just arrived and the place is now very quiet!

Well I did find Waxwing today. Easy to find 😉 - entering a car park saw a large group of bird watchers looking at trees so just headed there 😂! Once there one was obvious.

Apparently there had been up to about 20 but a Sparrowhawk flew in to disperse them. One birder thought the remaining one was a juvenile as it didn’t have a large crest. It probably got left behind he thought and was waiting till the flock came back.

Went back a few hours later and was luckier with then five to watch. The bright sunlight had gone by then as well and that helped getting some better photos.

Why do Waxwings (and Blackbirds/Redwings both present as well) eat the berries below them rather than just above their heads? The Waxwings in particular were often upside down to get a berry. A few instances of them and Blackbirds losing the grip and “falling” off the branches was amusing. The birds though seemed to avoid going for the one’s just above their heads.

Well done!  Dont know about the berry thing, but I do know that they have a barbed tongue which helps the ‘flow’ of berries down its throat. 

I’ll be keeping a close look locally, a few good waxwings places locally if/when they reach the west. 

I’ll have a look out for a barbed tongue in the photos I took when I get around to processing them; probably got some with a berry in the mouth (hopefully).

If you are heading up soon, apparently St A has had a flock of over 50 for the past few days including today according to one photographer I spoke to. As you mentioned the east coast seems to be the area to see them meantime.

Examples of going for a berry well below before and after. Photo 2 seems to show the barbed tongue a bit in profile. The Blackbird also appears to have a very similar tongue; backward barbs.

No 4 looks well fed and relaxed; nice birds to watch and photo.

Nice, and yes, you can see the barb on that waxwing. Numbers are building, hopefully they will end up this way. Good numbers short eared owls this year as well. 

Also, my observations the other year was that they seem to prefer pink Rowan berries, followed by red, then cotoneaster. They’ll pick a tree clean before moving on to the next one. 

Merlin, kestrel, velvet scoter from the other week. 

Interesting; wonder it it changes in different years. The experienced bird watcher I was speaking to in Sunday was explaining that if I saw yellow berries, the Waxwings will find the them so keep watching that tree! He did mention about cotoneasters and that he can get them in the garden for the C berries.

Owls, ah that’s going to be a challenge might had to leave till another year! Only ever seen any owl whilst in the passing when I used to mt bike at night.

Photo taken just now of flock in my neighbour’s birch tree (there is a pink rowan close by). Into the light sadly but a great sight nonetheless.

Brilliant!  I’m hoping they make their way down here. They often do when there’s an invasion like this. 

Hoping for some good birds this weekend. The weather has been rubbish recently, and my back is playing up , so a stroll with the telescope in tomorrows sunshine might be just the ticket. 

Last few mornings have given stonechat, winter thrushes and a probable peregrine. 

Good luck for tomorrow. Forecast is great for up here and hopefully for you too. Looking forward to seeing your shots.

Before I left for work I managed to grab some photos of the rowan. Here’s a couple of heavy crops. Apologies for the pun.

And one last one. How many can you spot?

Nice!  

Crop - photo

Crop - the berries

Crop - the birds storage pouch

Most excellent !  

Haha, full disclosure - I hadn’t considered the berry one 

Twitchers out in force in Haslingden, Lancashire yesterday looking at a large flock.  Hopefully this helps anyone still wanting to spot them as to their current geographic spread.

Speaking to the twitchers it is the best year for them since 2016, apparently.