Friday 21st January 2011 - Waxwings for lunch

Today started disappointingly with a drive through Kingston to not find any Waxwings this morning. Waxwing sightings in Milton Keynes are now becoming a daily occurrence, and they have been such a joy to keep up with this year I'm really not looking forward to the time when they all leave to go back to their breeding grounds. Fortunately for me I had to head into Bletchley where I had counted a very mobile flock of 35 in Halfords car park yesterday afternoon and bang on queue as I drove into town 37 Waxwings were sitting up in the trees on the Denbigh roundabout. I then spent the rest of the morning gladdened by the fact that I wasn't going to dip Waxwing today, and determined to go back to Kingston to find any trace of the ones there. At 1330 I was due a lunch break so shot over to Kingston and found a flock of 61 Waxwing behind the BMW garage, nicely viewable from Starbucks. Using my van as a mobile hide I drove slowly up to the bushes and turned off the engine. I was then entertained for a 45 minute Waxwing extravaganza as they took their turns coming down the feed on the bushes next to me. Just incredible!!!!! I managed a short digibinned clip of 2 birds feeding on the berries next to me,

also I managed to get good views of a colour ringed bird with a white ring on its leg which I believe signifies its one of the birds ringed in Aberdeen. I have sent details off so hopefully I'll hear about it past. Unfortunately my lunch break came to an end and I had to leave these fantastic birds here, but what a brilliant way to spend an afternoon!!