The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

Waxwings in Worcestershire

73 comments


Last week I spotted a bevvy of twitchers, excitedly taking over the entrance to the large local garden centre, I had to find out why! They very kindly let me look through the powerful lenses they had and there were the waxwings but sadly I had no camera that day!

Camera in hand I returned to see if they were still there…….I drove into the car park, no twitchers, bit of a grey day. But across the road I could see birds resting at the tip of the bare trees, could they be starlings, blackbirds? Take a photo anyway ~ you never know!

so here are the ‘blackbirds???’

But what a fabulous surprise, they were the waxwings ~ as they flew across the road [towards me] I could see the colours on their wings ~ they are in here somewhere ~ can you spot them?……and the one that got away?

I SO wish I had a better zoom, but hopefully you can see a bit better on this one, I spy 4 birds:

And off they flew again to the next tree: 14 of the 23 in the flock, sorry its a bit dark:

Cue Bampy ~ thanks so much Bampy ~ you are a wizard! Now you can see the colours a bit better:

Waxwing silouette, a bit like japanese wallpaper?

Are these twins? It feels like one of those puzzle books ~ spot the identical shapes?

Such a privilege to see these birds, I think this is my Christmas treat!

Could these replace the traditional 3 flying ducks on the wall?

perhaps after a spot of Bampy Magic:

Thanks again Bampy!

Seeing these made me smile ~ nature has some real gems doesn’t it?!

I have zoomed in on one of the birds in that rather pretty tree [sorry I don’t know its name] but it does show a bit more colour! even though its very blurry ~ sorry

I went back today to see if I could see them again, the twitchers were back ~ there had been 30 birds eating the berries and drinking from the puddles but then along came a sparrow hawk and frightened them all off [possibly for good??] all except for one last one [sounds a bit like the story of the pied piper!] and here is the last waxwing!

More blog posts by stickitoffee

Previous post: If you go down to the woods today..................

Next post: If you really have nothing better to do.............with added incentive!



Comments

 

Oh Sticki . . . they are lovely. What a treat to see them, and a treat for us to be able to share your beautiful photos. Thank you!

6 Dec, 2012

 

I agree its must have been a beautiful sight, great photo`s Sticki,thankyou for sharing......

6 Dec, 2012

 

Thank you Sheila and Lincslass, I was delighted ....BUT have a look at this ~ found them on I spy a bird ~ taken at the same place but really beautiful photos:

http://www.ispyabird.co.uk/birds/waxwing/slideshow?photo_id=21702

6 Dec, 2012

amy
Amy
 

Brilliant Sticki ,a sight never to be forgotten and clever Bampy :o) just been over to Ispy gosh those photos are stunning !

6 Dec, 2012

 

Absolutely never to be forgotten Amy, so very lucky ~ and all to myself!!!!

It was totally amazing Homebird, if you look at the waxwing photos on I spy a bird [which are stunningly beautiful] it will show you some of the places they have been seen in this winter!

6 Dec, 2012

 

Aren't you lucky being at the right place at the right time. Beautiful birds.

6 Dec, 2012

 

You so so lucky lady Sticki and how fantastic that you were there just at the right time! (And how totally clever Bampi is...)
Sorry Scottish, didn't notice you'd just said that!.

6 Dec, 2012

 

The first day I spotted all the excitement I hadnt got my camera [very unusual for me] but I had been at work, for the next few days I wasnt able to get back there, today was the first day I could return [6 days later!] so I was really amazed they were still there, but even better for me really because when everyone else was there you couldnt get near the birds ~ I wouldnt have dared to go so near as I did today!

And yes, very clever and kind Bampy ~ thank you!

6 Dec, 2012

 

What a beautiful blog Sticki, and of course you captured it closely and timely!

6 Dec, 2012

 

Ohh, lucky you, they are beautiful birds :)

6 Dec, 2012

 

They are lovely birds, yes, lucky you!

6 Dec, 2012

 

What a fantasic sight, a real treat to see so many, thanks for sharing youe lovely pictures;0)

6 Dec, 2012

 

you lucky lucky person ST ! I could almost get a train over just to get photoes of these gems. Oh well, fantastic to see that you have captured them in person. ( if you dont mind I'm going to nick that last photo & get a closer look ;-)

6 Dec, 2012

 

many thanks junna, you are very kind
they are amazing geranium gem, perfection!
very lucky lulu!
you are welcome PP
indeed bampy! i will let you know if they are there again tomorrow!!!
p.s. you are very welcome to nick my photos but the best pictures are on i spy a bird ~ some taken from the same place!!! [not by me!!]

6 Dec, 2012

 

Astounding! Lucky and clever lady!

6 Dec, 2012

 

aren't they amazing gattina! im definitely not clever but i was lucky today!!!

6 Dec, 2012

 

Thank you Sticki for sharing your meeting with these special birds. Really beautiful creatures. And thanks to Bampy who showed explicitly here how the the true/fact can be coloured and then put in black and white shades again, e.g.manipulated.
:)
Fantastic.

7 Dec, 2012

 

You are welcome kat, I forgot to say they make a pretty sound too!

7 Dec, 2012

 

Do they?

7 Dec, 2012

 

How lucky to be able to see those waxwings, they are so pretty, I have never had them in my garden I get all sorts of birds in fact three woodpeckers this week two cock birds and one hen bird. I thought I was lucky to see them, but waxwings are amazing colours and beautiful birds maybe one day they will find me. lol. Thank you for the beautiful pictures. I love this time of year for birds they just seem to come in droves to feed. Only good thing about November and December is watching the birds feed. lol. Hope you are not getting bad weather sticki. We have had rain rain and more rain and ice and cold but no snow thank goodness.

7 Dec, 2012

 

I agree Oliveoil . . . love to see the birds feeding every day. This week we had a jay, a greater spotted woodpecker (as well as all the usual little tits and chaffinches) and a cock pheasant, closely followed by a fox!! Never seen or heard waxwings though.

7 Dec, 2012

 

you can listen to the sound on this web site kat, its like a burbling stream!

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/w/waxwing/index.aspx

very lucky OO, i completely agree with you ~ the most interesting thing in my garden now is definitely the birds!

we never get chaffinches here, or sparrows! strange isnt it ~ i think the pheasant is magnificent sheila!

7 Dec, 2012

 

I got a couple more photos today ~ so I have up-dated the blog.

7 Dec, 2012

 

A wonderful sighting Sticki just brilliant, I have never seen such beautiful birds before, great capture. Thank you.

7 Dec, 2012

 

they seem so exotic to be here dont they? thanks GM!
you never know, perhaps they will visit you too ~ i never expected to see them here!

7 Dec, 2012

 

Very unusual, you would think they would prefer to be somehwhere a little warmer, wouldn't you!! Lovely.

7 Dec, 2012

 

Those latest photographs are just brilliant! You could be a professional.

7 Dec, 2012

 

I think this is the warmest they go GM??? they only come here for the winter

Gattina ~ how I would love to take really crisp clear photos of something like this and see the light in the bird's eye but sadly I am way far of that mark!
It's still nice to have the memory though!
One of the photographers today let me look at his photo taken through a lens that he said cost similar to a small car!!! I wont be having one of those!

7 Dec, 2012

 

These new pictures are amazing Sticki. Just looked them up in my RSPB Book (just joined as a member) - they do come to the East Coast of Scotland but judging by the illustration I'm just ever so slightly inland for them.

7 Dec, 2012

 

ps - you should have asked the guy if he would have let you take a couple of pics and he could have emailed them to you

7 Dec, 2012

 

thanks scottish ~ i seem to remember karensusan posting photos of them in the tree at the end of her garden last winter? I think karen is east scotland isnt she ~ on the coast? But we are a very long way from the coast here!

Thats a good idea ~ i should have asked him, never mind there are some beautiful photos on i spy a bird if you want to see them as they really are!

7 Dec, 2012

 

WOW! They are fantastic and what good photos, especially the last ones!

7 Dec, 2012

 

Just superb!

7 Dec, 2012

 

I'll never forget seeing a flock of them 2 years ago in my local park, and later in my garden Sticki. My photos were very like yours...sadly no Bampy then to help out! I've been hoping they would be back because of the cold weather, but I've not seen them yet. They are incredible...the 'electrical' sounds of their tweeting is magic isn't it? I can totally understand how thrilled you feel!

7 Dec, 2012

 

thank you rose and wildrose
karen it was your photos and blog i remembered, the biggest surprise was their happy song, lovely cheerful little cheeps/tweets!

i think part of the pleasure in seeing them is the surprise ~ so i hope they visit you again!

7 Dec, 2012

 

yes, I agree! Thanks Sticki. I'm hoping the Yellowhammers will return at some point too!

7 Dec, 2012

 

I hope so too!

8 Dec, 2012

 

Well I'm VERY impressed, Sticki, professional-lens-costing-as-much-as-a-small-car or not! These last two pictures are now in my special desktop "favourites" file, and not much stuff gets put into that, I can tell you!

8 Dec, 2012

 

Fantastic photos Sticki and what special moments for you too.

8 Dec, 2012

 

Too kind gattina! Certainly a special moment seeing them!
Thanks Linda, it was really special, lovely memory.

8 Dec, 2012

 

we think the pereguins were on the mill this morning as the twitchers were out with their cameras.

8 Dec, 2012

 

it would be good if we could link in to the twitcher network to find out anything locally!

8 Dec, 2012

 

Agree with Gat . . . those last two are simply brilliant. Now, if I ever see a waxwing, I'll know what I'm looking at!

8 Dec, 2012

 

i hope you see one sheila, they really are beautiful

8 Dec, 2012

 

here is a beautiful photo and story that bampy found:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8140404/Waxwings-so-hungry-they-are-tame.html

[it's from a couple of years ago]

8 Dec, 2012

 

Wow, they're fantastic Sticki!! I've seen them only once, when I was a child and they spent the afternoon in Mums apple tree. Lovely photos too, and clever Bampy for helping you out...they're stunning!

8 Dec, 2012

 

Lovely memories from when you were a child Janey, they are certainly a bit special aren't they.
Yes, really kind and clever of Bampy, and thanks Janey.

8 Dec, 2012

 

What wonderful photos Sticki. They are beautiful birds . We had them visit us one year but they have not returned.

9 Dec, 2012

 

You never know Linda, fingers crossed! I never expected to see them here!

9 Dec, 2012

 

Fantastic photos. Sticky! You were lucky to see such lovely birds. :-)) It was also great of Bampy to lighten the photos for you!

9 Dec, 2012

 

Many thanks balcony, I was incredibly lucky, wouldn't have known if I hadn't spotted the twitchers lining the road. They are such lovely little birds too, I think they are quite friendly, didn't seem to mind people being near at all. Bampy is good isn't he!

9 Dec, 2012

 

You are so lucky sticky what a treat and lovely pic's

9 Dec, 2012

 

Thank you sue, I'm just wondering how long they will stay? One of the twitchers said he thought they would leave now that a sparrow hawk has appeared?

9 Dec, 2012

 

Lovely photo's and thanks for sharing

11 Dec, 2012

 

you're welcome dogsbod, thank you, have you ever seen them in bedfordshire? I dont remember seeing any when i lived there!

11 Dec, 2012

 

Beautiful!
Well done you.
I saw some one winter before we moved, (Bucks - High Wycombe). First and only time.

Good set of pics.

12 Dec, 2012

 

Thanks fractal cat, perhaps they might come back that way one day, this seems quite a long way south for them?

12 Dec, 2012

 

Wow great blog Stickers, not sure i have ever seen a Waxwing before : )

12 Dec, 2012

 

oh thanks stevie! nor had i ~ lovely arent they!

12 Dec, 2012

 

Great blog Sticki :-)

12 Dec, 2012

 

thanks SL, nice to see you back again ~ hope you are well

12 Dec, 2012

 

Thanks, we're all ok just busy and the girls are excited about xmas :-) hope your well too.

13 Dec, 2012

 

bit cold but ok, thank you ~ hope you all have a very lovely christmas

13 Dec, 2012

 

thanks, hope you have a great Christmas too.

14 Dec, 2012

 

thank you SL :-)

14 Dec, 2012

 

Your pictures are fantastic!!!!! I love Waxwings, and the sound they make. We have them in the spring and summer. The crabapples are loaded, that's what they love!

1 Jan, 2013

 

how lovely that you get them too, i loved their cheeful little song too ~ so friendly!

i think i would have needed a very expensive camera and/or lens to get a really good picture but thanks 'Readby'!

1 Jan, 2013

 

I have a picture posted of a waxwing in a tree by my side door. I look forward to their arrival each spring.

2 Jan, 2013

 

I found it! beautiful bird, lovely picture

2 Jan, 2013

 

Thanks, I love your pics too!

3 Jan, 2013

 

:-) i like taking photos

3 Jan, 2013

 

Stickie

Where did you see the waxwings was it in the Worcestershire area. Iā€™m off tomorrow so may go out see if I can find some, has anyone else had any sittings thanks šŸ‘

29 Dec, 2018

Add a comment

Featured on

Recent posts by stickitoffee

Members who like this blog

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    22 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    9 Aug, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    9 May, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    17 Apr, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    25 Aug, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    1 Jul, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    18 Sep, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    16 Mar, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    25 Jul, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Jul, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    3 Jul, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    27 Oct, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    9 Jun, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    30 Dec, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    8 Apr, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    14 Apr, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    24 Mar, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    15 Jan, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    7 Jun, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    1 Mar, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    2 Jul, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    18 Sep, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Apr, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    10 Dec, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    13 May, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    28 Mar, 2012

  • Gardening with friends since
    5 May, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    26 Feb, 2008

Garden centre