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

Shenstone- Migrant Passerines

26/08/12
Mark P (Doorstep Birding) had told me of some Spotted Flycather's he had found earlier in the day, and as (Unbelievably!) i havent seen one this year i was hoping for a 'get back' rush to see them, however, it was now nearly two hours after he'd seen them.
However, we still headed out, and, an arriving on site, saw nothing!
But hey, i was scouting a new area, so it wasnt all doom and gloom, Soon after, we spotted Jason K (The Shenstone Natrualist) trundling down the road in his car, looking for the same birds as us. After a good chat and a wait around the area where the Spot flys were, Jase mentioned that 2 Juvenile Whinchats were still at Shenstone, and Redstarts had been seen. So we planned to call in on the way back.

We dropped in at the Paddock Jase told us the Whinchats were in, parking at the gate, and it only took a single scan to locate both juvenile WHINCHATS sitting on thistle heads in the centre of the paddock. Sadly however, the birds wouldnt approach any closer, although giving great scope views, not very good for photos.

 

Both birds were in. fairly good looking freshly plumages

 

And it was sheer luck that i manadged to get a flight shot as one of the Whinchats moved from perch to perch.

It was while watching the Whinchats that we watched a PEREGRINE flew over fairly low, but obviously there was a thermal close by, and the bird rapidly circled higher and higher, at one point being in the air with 5 Buzzards! before flying off south.



We then drove down the road slightly to the hedge that runs through the paddocks, and had a scan from the car window in the hope a Redstart may be in there. And out luck was in, and soon after, i picked up a female type REDSTART as it flitted low down amongst the hawthorn and grass.

Out came the scope, and i was taking my first decent images of a Redstart soon after, Awsome!

In contrast to the Whinchats, these birds were very obliging and odly, the bird often perched out in the open for a fair bit of time!
I'd started taking photos of Redstart 1 when i saw a bird drop down from the hedge to my left, and i glimpsed a red tail as it flew back. It was another Redstart! Soon after, this 'new' bird flew over to the hedgeline with the other Redstart, both calling incessantly, and both giving great views!

I moved position slightly, and i was treated to superb views of one of the Redstarts as it just sat on the edge of a hawthorn in the sun. And i was able to better my attempts from a few minuites previously!

 

 

 

 

The above video in particular im happy with as it is moderatly sharp, you can hear the bird calling, and you can see its glowing red tail shivering, exactly as a Redstart should be doing!

MB