22 Waxwings (1 Viewer)

J

JJM

Member

• Feb 25, 2003

• #1

I was driving towards Glasgow City Centre this morning and spotted 22 Waxwings feeding on Rowan Trees in Raglan Street at the junction of St George's Road and Garscube Road (just outside the north side of the city centre), they were constantly being chased off by a pair of Mistle Thrushes who were trying to protect their food source. I watched the Waxwings from the car at a range of around 15 feet until they were once again chased off by the Mistle Thrushes, Waxwings really are superb looking birds and I take every chance I get to watch them.

 

Paul Rule

Well-known member

• Feb 25, 2003

• #2

What a wonderful site that must have been, I thought I was doing well with 14 yesterday.

 

P

peter hayes

Guest

• Feb 25, 2003

• #3

I got 4, Paul 14, you 22. Anyone ever seen any more than that?!!

 

Reader

Well-known member

• Feb 25, 2003

• #4

5 is my maximum this year but the most I have had in one go was 54 in Rugely a few years ago.

 

T

Tammie

Well-known member

• Feb 25, 2003

• #5

Can anybody get pictures of them for those of us who've never seen them, please?

 

Paul Rule

Well-known member

• Feb 25, 2003

• #6

Tammie, Here is a picture of one that I took earlier this year, at a local supermarket.

Forgive the quality, this was taken on 35mm slide film, and my scanner is not to good at handling that format.

 

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J

JJM

Member

• Feb 26, 2003

• #7

There were still 20 birds at the same place near Glasgow City Centre at 1310 hrs today, I could only watch them for a short time as I was on my way to work.

 

J

JJM

Member

• Feb 26, 2003

• #8

Tammie, I have put in a link below to one of my web pages with 2 images of Waxwings taken in Glasgow recently.

http://www.swtglasgow.homestead.com/page15_wax_wheat.html

 

T

Tammie

Well-known member

• Feb 26, 2003

• #9

Thank you so much for your pictures. They are such stunning birds! I've only ever seen them from a distance and don't stand a chance of getting pictures of them... yet. I'm in the process of planting different things in the yard to bring them in. Hopefully, someday!

 

columbidae

Well-known member

• Feb 26, 2003

• #10

This looks very much like the Bohemian waxwing here in North America. I was surprised day before yesterday, right around dusk, to see a single cedar waxwing at the park, among a flock of yellow-rumped warblers, darting out after insects.

 

J

JJM

Member

• Feb 26, 2003

• #11

Dan, the Waxwings seen in the UK are Bohemian Waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus), the same species as seen in North America.

 

SarahC

Well-known member

• Mar 6, 2003

• #12

Cedar Waxwings come through my area. They are very difficult to get near and usually deep in a Cedar Tree. Here is photo on one but its not real good and has been upsampled.

http://www.pbase.com/image/1369562.jpg

 

C

cjay

Well-known member

• Mar 6, 2003

• #13

Hey JJM I have family in Cumbernauld Know of any good birding sites nearby?

Colin

 

kingfisher

Scouser in exile

• Mar 6, 2003

• #14

And heres me not seen one all winter......not for the lack of trying either....... SULKS !!!!!!!!

 

T

Tammie

Well-known member

• Mar 6, 2003

• #15

Sarah, there is nothing wrong with that photo... it's lovely.

 

A

apus

Member

• Mar 14, 2003

• #16

Pah. Lucky swine. I've got a big fat zero this year. The mistle thrush ate all our carefully nurtured rowan berries.

Guess if I want to see one I'll have to drive 40 miles and loiter suspiciously around a B&Q car park in a characterless Stockport retail park whilst carrying a pair of binoculars.

Why cant waxwings chose more glorious locations to call in on when their enjoying their winter break or do they habitually spend the summer breeding in the environs of Siberian petro-chemical plants, global polluting smolten lead factories or vast colourless concrete block housing estates?

 

monkeyman

Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.

• Mar 14, 2003

• #17

My best sighting was 35 in our garden. But that was New Year's Day, 1971 in Renfrewshire!

Haven't seen one since!

 

IanDJB

Member

• Mar 24, 2003

• #18

A report in the local newspaper encouraged readers to put out apples for the hoardes of waxwings arriving in Norfolk. A large box of rotting brambleys was duly spread around the garden, much to the delight of the local blackbirds, thrushes and fieldfares. Not a single waxwing however!!!. Later rewarded by the sight of 14 birds together in trees adjacent to the busy A11 trunk road on the outskirts of Thetford. They remained in the area, in varying numbers, for several weeks.

Ian.