The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Great read Freddy! Thanks for posting this.

For information, I have just recieved a record from 24th April (!) of 4 birds at Hagnaby Lock...

Is this the latest Waxwing record in Lincs ever?

Andrew

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

Andrew,
Thanks for your appreciative comments re the Waxwing article.

As to whether the 4 Waxwings at Hagnaby Lock on Sun 24th April might be the latest Waxwing record ever in Lincs.......well, believe it or not, 15 Waxwings were also reported (on Birdguides) on Sun 24th April at Swayfield, just SW of Corby Glen off the A 151 which runs from Colsterworth to Bourne. The Swayfield birds were reported to Birdguides at 15.03 as having been seen " in trees at the entrance to Black Spring Farm at 14.30." Now, if the Hagnaby Lock sighting was a morning one, or any time up to 14.30, then clearly Swayfield wins.

Incidentally, it was obvious that the Swayfield birds were passing through and probably stayed around only a couple of hours or so to feed. The question in my mind was, " What were they feeding on ? " I was 90% sure that it would have been Ivy berries - as per the flock of 70 which I saw at Colney, Norfolk on 16th April - for virtually all red berry trees have long since been stripped in Lincs, as in Norfolk, if not by Waxwings then by hungry winter Thrushes.

There was only one way to find out....go and look for myself. I arrived at the entrance to Black Spring Farm( Map Ref SK 993213 ) at 11.30 on Mon 25th April. Sure enough, there were 3 large Field Maples smothered in Ivy plus berries and nothing else edible around at all. I spoke to the farmer there - he knew nothing about Waxwings and neither did a couple who rented a barn there, so clearly the birds had been in and out on passage. The entrance to the Farm lies along a country route used by walkers and cyclists (several of whom I saw passing by) and I reckon it was indeed a passing birder cum walker/cyclist who had reported the sighting to Birdguides.

I enjoyed my visit, sitting in the sun, eating my mini-picnic and mainly watching a good selection of passing butterflies - incl. Red Admiral, Orange Tip, Holly Blue and Peacock - plus some birds of prey. I haven't counted it as a Dip as I hadn't expected Waxwings to be there in the first place. It was what they had been feeding on that had interested me and I discovered the answer to that question.

I look forward to the Hagnaby Lock sighting time.

Freddy

......and talking of Waxwings in Lincs in late April, this report was on Birdguides today (Thu 28 April) :

Waxwing (reported at 12.42) .....
.....one flew east at main road opposite North Somercotes school mid morning ( 10.05 ).
I wonder who reported the sighting ?


Yesterday (27th April ), Birdguides reported a total of c 450 Waxwings still in Britain...all S and E of Staffs. So far today (1.00pm), c 185 : in Suffolk (c 35), Essex (80 ), Beds (c 70 ) and Lincs (1). Well, we have had 1 sighting out of the total of c 630 reported yesterday and so far today...."but it's not all over yet".

The wind has been persistently in the NE for days now and is forecast as staying there for a few more days. Those Waxwings must be waiting and waiting for our usual SW winds and when they come.....we wish them a safe journey home. ... probably via 'the short sea crossing' to Holland and then N/NE.

Freddy

Here we are into May and on 1st May "Birdguides" reported no less than 8 sightings of some 102 Waxwings. With the exception of just 1 in Cleveland (Middlesborough), all were in the Midlands and the South, including London.

Once these persistent strong NE winds die away and we get our usual May S and W winds, especially a SW one, ( ? by next weekend), we can assume most will be off.

Freddy


PS. It would be interesting to know for sure what the remaining Waxwings are feeding on. Supplies of red berries have long since been exhausted so, presumably, it must be recognised and documented alternative food items including Ivy berries, insects captured in flight or otherwise, leaf buds and certain tree and bush blossom ......and let's hope for a calorific intake sufficient to build up necessary fat reserves for that demanding and traumatic journey home.

.......and so it looks as if the amazing Waxwing Winter and Spring 2010/11 are finally over.

The last 3 reports for Britain on BirdGuides were :

. 12 May - Northants......Northampton.........1
. 9 May - Shetland........Brae, Mainland.......1
. 6 May - Derbys...........Barlborough..........20....My son and I went to check out the Barlborough, Derbys site en route to the Derby Cathedral Peregrines on 7 May but, not surprisingly, they had moved on... (Plenty of Starlings but no Waxwings.)

Freddy

As we are enjoying another "Waxwing Winter", the above posts may be of interest, especially for new members.

Freddy