The Lincolnshire Bird Club

A Birdguides report this morning (Mon), logged at 09.39, recorded 10 Waxwings at Sainsbury's in Bourne. Following a recent unsuccessful trip to Beacon Way, Skegness, (ouch ! that really hurt) - after a successful one on Fri 18 March - I decided to visit Sainsbury's, Bourne as soon as the memsahib returned from the dentist's ( ouch! that also hurt, apparently).

I arrived in the Sainsbury's Car Park (2 hours' free parking) in Exeter Street, Bourne at 1.45 in showery and chilly weather. A quick recce revealed that the only berries around were on some low bushes by the entrance to the Car Park. Parking the car so as to have a good view of the probable target berries, I opened my sandwiches and settled down for 'the wait'. 11 (not 10) Waxwings flew into a low sapling just by the entrance at 2.10, soon dropping down to feed on the Cotoneaster berries. I left the car and took up a position under cover by the Main Building but within 5 minutes they all flew across the Car Park to perch in a tall tree. They soon returned, however to their berry feast but at 2.25 they took off and headed straight for a very prolifically laden Cotoneaster further down Exeter Street (which I hadn't noticed until then) by the Cooperative Pharmacy / Hereward Group Practice.
They perched momentarily on a nearby roof but, presumably because of heavy traffic, they took off again and vanished into the distance. That berry tree will certainly be a target in quieter periods.

I stayed in the Car Park until 2. 45 but the Waxwings did not return.

Freddy

Nice update Freddy thanks.

I think you are able now to do an in depth report on the location of most of the lincolnshire Cotoneaster bushes too!!!

_________________
Regards
Steve



http://www.stevenesbitt.co.uk

Steve,
Re Cotoneasters....... The funny thing is that I had planted half a dozen Cotoneaster bushes (and Pyracanthas) in my garden a couple of years before my Sentinel Crab-apple tree. The latter had visits from Waxwings on 24 Dec (1), 27 Dec (4) and 28 Dec (3), but the local Blackbirds and other Thrushes had stripped the Cotoneasters and Pyracanthas virtually bare by Christmas. Fortunately, they found great difficulty in working out how to twist and pull off the Crab-apples....mind you, some of the Waxwings had problems, too, and resorted to pecking.


Freddy
PS.....I've now had a report from Dave Roberts who put out the original 09.39 logged message today. He actually saw the (10) Waxwings on the heavily laden Cotoneaster by the Co-op Pharmacy before they moved on to Sainsbury's.