This is the month to be looking out for our most exciting of winter visitors, the Waxwing. This parakeet like birds with peach colored plumage, waxen like primary tips & a fine crest of feathers can be found in either small or very large flocks from now until March or April, rarely any later.
In some years we have seen flocks of 400 or so but these are the top end of the scale. Flocks of fewer than 20 are more common & one of the best places by far in the Lowestoft area is Bloodmoor Road by the overhead footbridge. Waxwings are creatures of habit returning to the same places every winter. A flock of 18 birds resided here during last winter thwarting would be year listers by keeping away from this site for most of new years day!
In 1995/96 A large gathering of 400+ birds were to be found in & around gardens on the Rosedale Estate at Carlton Colville Near Lowestoft Suffolk.
Gardens are a great source of food for these Scandinavian winter visitors as berry trees normally hold a full crop because unlike other wild birds they are not afraid of visiting very small gardens because as they have little contact with humans where they breed,. Spending all their time in the tops of coniferous forests, the birds on there winter holiday are surprisingly tame. Once I came within inches of a Waxwing & I am sure that if I was so inclined I could have picked it up from the branch & held it.
Some birds have been seen exhibiting coloured rings on their legs.
It has been proved that by recapturing the birds or by recording the rings in the field the birds can live for many years returning to it’s favourite winter restaurant year after year.
In some years we have seen flocks of 400 or so but these are the top end of the scale. Flocks of fewer than 20 are more common & one of the best places by far in the Lowestoft area is Bloodmoor Road by the overhead footbridge. Waxwings are creatures of habit returning to the same places every winter. A flock of 18 birds resided here during last winter thwarting would be year listers by keeping away from this site for most of new years day!
In 1995/96 A large gathering of 400+ birds were to be found in & around gardens on the Rosedale Estate at Carlton Colville Near Lowestoft Suffolk.
Gardens are a great source of food for these Scandinavian winter visitors as berry trees normally hold a full crop because unlike other wild birds they are not afraid of visiting very small gardens because as they have little contact with humans where they breed,. Spending all their time in the tops of coniferous forests, the birds on there winter holiday are surprisingly tame. Once I came within inches of a Waxwing & I am sure that if I was so inclined I could have picked it up from the branch & held it.
Some birds have been seen exhibiting coloured rings on their legs.
It has been proved that by recapturing the birds or by recording the rings in the field the birds can live for many years returning to it’s favourite winter restaurant year after year.
