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