Ashley beolens
Breeding the next generation of birders.
We in Milton Keynes have been inundated with waxwing this year (well 2) and a debate has arisen as to the age and sex of the two birds.
On the day I saw them I noted that one of the birds was very much brighter and more heavily marked showing a lot more markings on the primaries, so I noted this down as adult male, the other appeared alot more drab so i assumed 1st winter male/female. However since then more people have seen them and say that there is not as much difference as i first thought, some people even going back 4 times and incurring the wrath of the locals who have now resorted to calling the police!! (strange men parking and using cameras and binoculars, i would assume meant birders and would ask what they were looking at, residents of the area obviously think criminal!!!!).
Now as i am no expert on waxwings I thought i would open our debate to a wider audience and see what others thought.
On the day I saw them I noted that one of the birds was very much brighter and more heavily marked showing a lot more markings on the primaries, so I noted this down as adult male, the other appeared alot more drab so i assumed 1st winter male/female. However since then more people have seen them and say that there is not as much difference as i first thought, some people even going back 4 times and incurring the wrath of the locals who have now resorted to calling the police!! (strange men parking and using cameras and binoculars, i would assume meant birders and would ask what they were looking at, residents of the area obviously think criminal!!!!).
Now as i am no expert on waxwings I thought i would open our debate to a wider audience and see what others thought.