Friday 28 January 2011

Waxwings in the Wick!


Keep your eyes peeled in the Wick this winter, as you may bump into a very colourful group of visitors, with distinctive hairstyles!
Waxwings have been arriving on the British Isle since the beginning of winter and many avid ‘twitchers’ have been reporting sightings all over the UK.
These birds migrate from their breeding grounds in Scandinavia and usually arrive in the north and gradually filter southwards.

However, this years’ migration is particularly exciting, as waxwings have arrived en masse across the north, northwest and eastern coast of Britain.

We had our first sighting of these delightful birds on Monday morning. Whilst taking the children to school on the bus, we noticed a large group of birds circling and then settling in a whitebeam on Wick Road.

Even though we could only make out the birds’ silhouette; it was clear from the waxwings’ distinctive crest that we had stumbled on something special.

Waxwings have also arrived in time to be included in this weekends' RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. For more info on this event, check out: http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/

Happy Twitching!

4 comments:

Tony said...

I'm so jealous. I once travelled for 3 hours to spot them in North Norfolk, only to be told they'd moved on by the time I got there.
Which end of Wick Road were they in? Don't you just love the trees all lining Wick Road? Thanks to whichever planner got them planted many years ago.
Well done for spotting them Nadira & family. I'm still jealous.
Tony

Gregory Harmsworth said...

Hello Leabank Square. I think I saw some as well. Out in the Waterworks along the canal from you. I only saw them in profile, but while I was researching them, I saw your blog, and I'm 99% sure it's them as well.
I also read some more of your blog, and I want to move there. Beats Walthamstow any time.
Greg

Mary Moore said...

Hi. I've been following the waxwing down the country for a few weeks now, and am glad to see it is down south again. This probably means that the weather over in Scandinavia is colder than usual.
This beautifull little bird is such a lovely visitor, and you're lucky to have them.
Mary Moore

Anonymous said...

They're special. I saw one once on Well Street Common about fifteen years ago. Lucky you lot.