Wednesday 26 December 2012

How to self find WAXWINGS!

Finding WAXWINGS requires no skill at all!

Thats it, ive said it! And because of this, i am a skill-less birder! Because over the last month, i have found, not one, not two, but an incredible 60 WAXWINGS! And thats without really trying, You do not find Waxwings. Waxwings find you! And this is the case of me rcently, wherever i go i have been lucky enough to be graced by the presence of these gorgeous Bohemian wonders!

The tale started all the way back at the start of Novemeber, when i found a flock of 17 while of a 6th form trip! After a little bit of Dirty twitching of the flock at Chaddersly, i then went on a rampage, with them joining me almost everywhere i went!
27/11/12
I had just finished my lessons for the morning and was just walking home, having checked a Rowen on the main road in Upper Gornal, and it was just as i was opening the gate to the garden when i heard the distinctive trill, i immidiatly stared upwards, to be greated by the sight of a single WAXWING as it powered its way northish towards High Arcle school, never to be seen again.


8/12/12
Now in december, i was checking the patch for the Chaffinch flock (30c) and i was beng entertained by a Buzzard, which had decided to perch long enough for me to get some photos when once again, the destinctive trilling of WAXWINGS rung out, and again i stared upwards, this time to be greeted by a stunning flock of 32! Which briefly tried to land in one of the tall poplars, but sadly carried on northwards and again, wasnt seen again. This record is a particual highlight of mine, as it is only the 2nd record of Waxwing ive ever had on the patch!

12/12/12
And i was back in Gornal, to be more precise infact, on a dinner break, and i had visited 'Mrs B's' for a beautiful Hot pork sandwich, and it was just while walking past the chip show that i again heard that distinctive trilling, again, looking skywards, a flock of 9 WAXWINGS flew north over the library, past the rowen tree, and started circling around Lower Gornal for a few minuites before eventually dissapearing

My most recent self found bird was yesterday, but that will come in another blog post!

So there you go, if you want to find this gorgeous scandinavian visitor, just have a walk through the most urban place you can find, preferably on a lunch break or heading home, and enjoy these Bohemian wonders as they stream over your head!
MB

2 comments:

gary s said...

There has been a small of waxwings around the northway estate for the last week often showing on the big hill wolverhampton road east side

midlands birder said...

That's great, im guessing the big hill your referring to is the Sedgley Beacon hill?
Unfortunately I'm away from the Sedgley area untill the new year,so I can't drop in and see them, Thankyou for the news though, as I had no idea they were there!
MB