The Lincolnshire Bird Club

20 Waxwings in the tall tree just North of the car park at Marston STW, spotted by Dave Roberts. With Dave and Keith Bowden. A new species for Marston?
Also up to 15 Lesser Redpoll in nearby hedge, 2 Pochard (rarely seen here) and what now seems to be the resident Drake Mandarin on scrape. At least two Cetti's still calling in Reed bed together with several Water Rail.

David

When I arrived at Marston STW this morning (Fri) at 10.30, there were 6 Waxwings perched in the tall tree by the Carpark. They were occasionally flying down and feeding on Hawthorn berries along the roadside nearby.

They took off at 10.55, circled around, (unexpectedly) were joined by 3 more and we watched the flock of 9 Waxwings fly off towards Grantham.

Pleased to meet up again with Dave Roberts and David Morison.......thanks for the lead.

Also c.30 Fieldfares feeding in a large Apple Tree in the garden of the house by the first railway bridge when coming from Barkston.

Freddy

Not in Lincs. I know, but take a look at this!

Roy

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... -BQfRMIiMw

I used to live on Shetland, with a garden list of snow and Lapland buntings, eastern bonellis warbler etc and otters, but hand feeding a waxwing? Incredible!

The Marston Waxwing flock was up to c.35 at 1030 this morning. They moved off South shortly and only two reappeared before I left at 1215. Found at least 30 alongside Tollbar Road near the Olde Barn Hotel at Marston- still there when I left at 1245.

David

No sign of the Waxwings in an hour or so there, but had a flock of 8 go over the village in the direction of the Olde Barn Hotel.
Other stuff:
A Ring-tail (prob. 1stW) Hen Harrier was hunting over the SF and then over the adjacent leek field, panicking the overly large flock of Greylags
2 Water Rails had a fight just past the 1st 5-bar gate showing well as they did so.
1 Grey Wagtail nearby in the concrete trench running by the footpath

Phil

34 Waxwings still present by carpark this morning from before 9am until at least 1050am. Berries in local hedge reducing dramatically now, get there soon! Interesting behaviour shown by the birds bathing in a muddy puddle in the nearby ploughed field - not seen this before.

David

I was at the Marston STW entrance stakeout this morning (TUE) 09.25 - 09.55. It wasn't raining but was overcast with thick cloud.

The tree by the entrance had 3 Fieldfare; the next tree N had 30+ Waxwings, occasionally flying down and feeding on the plentiful supply of berries opposite and a little further up Barkston Road.......the Hawthorns are fruiting prolifically all the way to Marston village. The birds were also drinking from pools of water on the nearby ploughed field.

As I was leaving, 3 Waxwings flew into the STW entrance tree.

Pleased to meet up again with Lincolnshire birder, Bob Pacey, who also reckoned there were 30+ Waxwings. I returned to BBH via Tollbar Road and the Olde Barn Hotel but, as expected, nothing to report there. As is their wont, the various small groups of Waxwings in an area , sooner or later merge to produce a bigger and bigger flock as the days and weeks pass .....and this has happened at Marston : the original groups have now merged into a flock of c.30+.

There were also 20+ Fieldfares at the large AppleTree by the house at the first railway bridge coming from Barkston. Knowing the Waxwings partiality for apples, they may well appear there 'ere long.

Freddy

You have to trust me, there are 37 Waxwings in this image (with two in the hedgerow) making 39 birds present at Marston STW at 11.30am

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

In my post earlier today, mentioning 30+ Waxwings at Marston STW entrance, I added that Waxwings have a tendency sooner or later to all join together in an area : however, I didn't reference the speed at which this can happen.

76 Waxwings were reported (on BirdGuides) at Marston this afternoon at 14.25.

Freddy

Is this total a birdguides error...

I photographed 37 birds in a tree, with 2 in the bush = 39 birds in total.

I hope this hasn't been interpreted as 37 birds in the tree and 39 in a bush = 76....

Andrew

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

Andrew,........... I've just spoken to Steve Whitehouse on the BirdGuides desk. He wasn't on duty when the 76 Waxwings were posted but he'll do his best to check it out.

Freddy

PS. (.....a few minutes later) : I see the figure has now been changed from 76 to 39.

21st Nov 2012

58 birds present in the rain at 0830am

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

Re my 5.13pm post of 20 November -......... Let's start again :

In my post yesterday, mentioning 30+ Waxwings at Marston STW entrance, I added that local Waxwing groups have a tendency sooner or later to all join together in a given area ( plus newly arriving birds to join an existing flock) ; however, I didn't reference the speed at which this can happen :

at Marston STW : from 20 (15 Nov) (first appearance) to 34 (19 Nov) to 39 (20 Nov) to 58 this morning (21 Nov).......more or less trebled (from an already 'high' figure) in under a week.

Freddy

If Freddy’s mathematical calculations are correct, then the waxwing flock at Marston STW would be over 500 birds by Christmas Day...

However, I can report at 09.00am this morning (22nd Nov 2012) the waxwing count at Marston STW was ZERO...

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