Wondering about Waxwings

I saw my first Waxwings of the winter right back at the end of October, a handful close to home, but it's taken until the last week to catch up with many more. On Sunday, though, there were three decent sized flocks in the middle of Coalville, Leicestershire, where I live.

The first thing to notice was that these birds were very much confirming what we're always told about Waxwings, with two of the flocks turning up in supermarket car-parks (Netto and the Co-op/Iceland, out of interest, although I'm not sure they're especially discerning).

The third flock, in a few rowan trees around the Clock Tower, tended to refute the Waxwing stereotype, though. They actually fed on very few berries (the trees around the square had been largely stripped anyway), instead spending most of their time eating the occasional insect, and hanging around in the manner of people waiting for a party to begin.

The good news for them is that, when the cold weather returns in the next couple of days, there are plenty of berries still around. The car-park of the nearby doctor's surgery is one huge cotoneaster buffet just waiting to be raided.

Finally, on the way to work this morning, a few were in a tree next to the A47 at Tixover. It's strange that, though they can look superficially Starling-like, you very quickly start to find them totally distinctive, even at distances at which their crests aren't apparent. It's something to do with the way they move and interract with each other - a classic case of 'jizz' being more important than more tangible ID factors.

UKBS reports for November

Christmas meant an early deadline for our January issue, and as a result a few of the monthly UKBS reports arrived just too late to make it into the print issue. Here they are:

Greater Manchester - November
Highlights: A Pied-billed Grebe was at Hollingworth Lake (6th-21st). A Slavonian Grebe lingered at Audenshaw Reservoirs (1st-21st). Eight Whooper Swans flew over Burnt Edge and two were at Audenshaw Reservoirs (both 1st), 14 flew over Whitefield (10th), three flew over Horwich (13th) and two were on Hoillingworth Lake (16th). Waxwings were present in large numbers with maximum counts at Winter Hill (250), Wigan (230), Horwich centre (125), Bolton (81), Stockport (70), Swinton (65), Horwich Moors (37), Hale (30), Oldham Broadway (30), Salford (30), Moston (28), Timperley (20) and Rochdale (20).

Elton Reservoir: A Scaup was present (1st-20th). Seven Bar-tailed Godwits flew over (6th). A single Long-eared Owl was present (from 1st) with two later in the month (19th-30th). Two Whopper Swans were recorded (14th). Eight Waxwings was the maximum count (25th) with a single also present (20th-22nd).

Mersey Valley: A drake Mandarin was on Shell Pool (14th) as well as a pair of Goldeneyes. Peregrine (3rd) and Raven (20th) were both seen over Shell NR. Over 350 Pink-footed Geese flew over the Carrington Moss area. A Water Rail was still at Shell NR.

Other sites: A Lapland Bunting flew over Winter Hill (7th) with a maximum of nine Crossbills also over (19th). A Short-eared Owl flew over Whitefield as did nearly 2,500 Pink-footed Geese (both 10th). A Ring Ouzel was at Rumworth Lodge (13th) with another over Horwich (13th). Audenshaw Reservoir held a Yellow-legged Gull  (10th-27th) while another was at Castleshaw Reservoir (10th). Two Black Redstarts were still in the Horwich/Winter Hill area and another was at Piethorne Reservoir (16th). A Bittern was in the Wigan Flashes at Hawkley Reedbed (30th).
Dr Paul Brewster (01606 590 491)


South Lincolnshire - November
RSPB Frampton Marsh: Three Bewick’s Swans (12th) were more unexpected than the more numerous records of Whooper Swans. A Black Brant was seen in company of the regular flock of 2,500 dark-bellied Brent Geese on several occasions. Good counts of duck on the Scrapes included 700 Teal (6th) and 650 Wigeon (13th). Two Scaup were on the reedbed for much of the month. A Little Stint remained (to 7th) and up to 53 Ruff were also seen. A Water Pipit made a brief appearance (1st), as did Frampton’s first ever Bearded Tits (three, on 15th), but Lapland Buntings were a little more obliging, with up to eight seen. The highest count of Twite on the Saltmarsh was 90 (17th).

RSPB Freiston Shore: October’s American Golden Plover remained with up to 8,000 Golden Plovers (to 1st). On the sea 75 Common Scoter and two Velvet Scoters were seen (7th) when a first-winter Glaucous Gull was watched following a shrimp trawler. Two Goosander were also present on the Lagoon. Strong onshore winds (9th) produced Grey Phalarope, Sooty Shearwater, two Manx Shearwaters, 141 Common Scoters, Little Gull and a Red-necked Grebe, which was also seen 14th & 21st. Two Long-tailed Ducks were seen (10th & 14th) and a Black Brant (21st).

Whisby Nature Park: November is usually a quiet month, but this one proved to be somewhat different. On the Whisby side some peak counts included 15 Snipe, 12 Tree Sparrows, 50-plus Lesser Redpolls and 65-plus Siskins. Other good birds included a Waxwing (11th), two Jack Snipe (13th), Peregrines (18th & 23rd), the first Woodcock of the winter (25th), a male Mandarin (26th-28th), a Water Rail (27th), up to three Goosander (26th-30th) and a wintering Green Sandpiper (30th). On the N Hykeham side regular gull-watching was rewarded with adult Caspian Gulls (25th & 29th), up to six Yellow-legged Gulls all month and an adult Med Gull (29th). A drake Scaup (15th-23rd) was another good local find.

Gibraltar Point NNR: There were two Taiga Bean Geese (29th) and five White-fronted Geese (21st). There 32 Barnacle Geese (29th-30th), four Velvet Scoter (28th), a Great Northern Diver (26th), an Iceland Gull (28th), a Bearded Tit (20th) and three (21st). Shore Larks were present from 4th, when there were 12, with 15 (13th) and 11 (28th). A Pallas’s Warbler was present (17th). Maximum number of Waxwings reported was 31 (5th). Up to 35 Snow Buntings were present during the month and 16 Lapland Buntings. A Rough-legged Buzzard was seen (30th), and one was nearby at Wainfleet (2nd & 5th). Three Pomarine Skuas were at Skegness (9th), a Black Redstart at Gibraltar Point (12th) and another at Skegness (13th).

Other sites: A Ring-necked Duck was present at Bardney Pits (1st-28th) and a Black-necked Grebe was there (21st). A Grey Phalarope was at Boston Golf Course (7th). A Great Grey Shrike was at RAF Woodhall (7th) and a Raven at Bicker Fen (21st). At Marston Sewage Farm, there were four Bearded Tits (6th) and five (15th), and a Cetti's Warbler (10th & 15th). Waxwings were widely reported, highest numbers being 12 at Spalding (7th), 14-plus at Lincoln (from 14th), 26 at Sloothby (24th), and 16 at Sutterton. There were 20 Lapland Buntings reported at Gedney Drove End.
Steve Keightley, County Recorder, assisted by Colin Jennings, John Badley, Grahame Hopwood.


Ayrshire - November
Highlights: There was an unconfirmed report of an American Herring Gull at Troon harbour (5th). A first-winter Black Redstart at Turnberry Point (24th-30th), a Little Auk off Saltcoats (26th), and a Water Pipit at Seamill (29th-30th) were notable.

General: The Waxwing invasion continued as birds dispersed widely. Largest flocks were 400+ at Irvine (9th), 300 at Prestwick (10th) and 200+ at Saltcoats (15th). Up to 3 Great Northern Divers were between Turnberry and Dipple throughout. Up to three Leach’s Petrels were at Troon and Stevenston (3rd-5th). By the end of the month there were five pale-bellied Brent Geese at Maidens. The largest herd of Whooper Swans was 75  at Springside/Knockentiber (2nd). Two Hen Harriers were near Cumnock (9th) and at Auchinleck there were two Jack Snipe on the same day. Single Merlins were at Irvine (10th) and Greenan (13th).  A Great Skua was off Troon and Stevenston Point (12th) and off Saltcoats (13th) where there was also a Pomarine Skua (11th) and another along with a Storm Petrel (13th). A female Long-tailed Duck remained in Maidens harbour (13th-30th). A Slavonian Grebe was at Southannan Sands (14th), when six Grey Plovers were at nearby Hunterston. Another Slavonian Grebe was at Saltcoats (26th). An unusually high count of 39 Black Guillemots was seen between Portencross and Hunterston (14th). A Green Sandpiper was along the Cessnock Water at Barleith (15th) and four female Ruff at Saltoats on the same day. Two Snow Buntings appeared at Prestwick Beach (16th), a single was at Turnberry Point (26th-27th) and five were at Prestwick (30th). A Ring-necked Parakeet was in Skelmorlie (13th), Alloway (24th) and Saltcoats (28th). The adult Iceland Gull remained on the river Ayr throughout. A large movement of Woodpigeon was noted at the beginning of the month. Small groups of Bramblings were widespread and large finch and lark flocks were noted, particularly at the coast. Crossbills were noted in most forests and groups of up to 10 Woodcock were also reported.  Nuthatches at bird feeders in Alloway suggest a consolidation in that area. Mixed flocks of Greylag and Pink-footed Geese were widespread but small.
Michael Howes