Bonanza!
Getting in the car just before 9 am this morning, 10 Waxwing flew over the house. I have seen them once here before though non have yet landed in the garden. With some 300 in the Sheffield area, it’s going to be a trilling winter.
Popped over to Herries Road where a flock of 30 were feeding among industrial busyness and in the shadow of Sheffield Wednesday football ground, some might say they have style in choosing where to feed. Non yet report near the United ground then?
1st winter Waxwing, Herries Road Sheffield 19th November 2010
Thought I might try to get photos showing ad male/female and first winter of both in identifiable plumages. What’s this one? Well seems to be a first winter- no white curving round tip/inner web of primaries, and yellow outer fringe is white on the longer primaries. 4 ‘red waxy tips (which spawned the word ‘shocking pink’- allegedly) means I don’t know if its male of female as both can show this many. It’s quite bright in parts so my wild guess is it’s a male.
Hi Martin,
Sheffield has always seemed to be a bit of a hotspot for Waxwings, with particularly large flocks in good years compared to the rest of the UK , what’s the attraction do you think ??
Trev
Lincsbirders
Hi Trev
my only poor idea on this being its location on the edge of the Pennine fringe that naturally ‘funnels’ bird which have crossed the great flat plains of Lincs and East Yorkshire! Once the first birds and find food (often the same postcode areas and even the same group of trees year on year) later arrivals are ‘called in’ I guess. Maybe someone has better answer?
Martin