Surprise arrival of rare ‘cartoon birds’ on random Suffolk street causes a stir

Andrew Papworth

PUBLISHED: 20:01 29 January 2019 | UPDATED: 17:50 30 January 2019

But these rare waxwings are causing something of a stir after flying all the way from Scandinavia and randomly picking an Ipswich street to nest for winter.

The 20 or so of the brightly coloured birds are currently camped out on telegraph poles, television aerials and in trees in Defoe Road - picking Suffolk, perhaps surprisingly, for its warmer winter climate.

They have brought with them a flock of their own - in the form of nature lovers with binoculars and cameras, who have travelled from far and wide to capture a glimpse of the rare birds famous for their plump shape and prominent crest.

In scenes watchers have described as something out of a cartoon, the creatures fly down from their perches to eat berries from trees, comically tossing the fruit up in the air before taking a bite.

Continued

Winter birds thrill Norfolk wildlife photographers

A gathering of winter visitors has attracted crowds of birdwatchers and photographers to a Norfolk police station.

The waxwings were spotted eating berries from a rowan tree outside the building in Long Stratton.

The birds, recognisable by their distinctive red and yellow feathers, are not native to the UK but tend to visit during the winter months.

"They are a scarce winter visitor but do on occasions appear in larger numbers," said Peter Hayman, from Rare Bird Alerts.

"It just depends on the availability of food and/or weather within their winter range.

"We haven't seen many in Norfolk this winter so it's no wonder these have caught people's attention."

05 Jan 2019

Source  

2nd January

Twitchers treated to rare bird sighting at Asda Totton

By Chris Yandell dailyecho_New Forest Chief Reporter

TWITCHERS descended on a Hampshire supermarket after reports that exotic birds had been seen in the area.

Birdwatchers anxious to catch a glimpse of waxwings converged on the car park at the Asda store in Maynard Road, Totton.

One of the first to see and photograph the birds was Cllr David Harrison, who represents part of Totton on the county and district councils.

He said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have seen these rare visitors - they’re truly one of the most attractive birds to be seen in Britain.

“I don’t expect them to stay around for long as there aren’t a great many trees with berries on them.

“Normally waxwings only come this far south during a really cold snap so it’s a wonderful surprise and a great way to start the birdwatching year.”

Twitchers also rushed to investigate sightings of waxwings in nearby Beaumont Road and Jennings Road.

Source

Birdwatchers flock to Doncaster to catch a glimpse of rare birds

Darren Burke, Digital Reporter 

Birdwatchers have been flocking to Doncaster to catch a rare glimpse of a flock of waxwings. "Twitchers" have been heading to bushes near Sandall Park with their binoculars in order to see the birds which have been nesting in the area. 

Waxwings are known for their distinctive look - brown and pale grey with silky plumage, a black and white eyestripe, a crest, a square-cut tail and pointed wings. Some of the wing feathers have red tips, the resemblance of which to sealing wax gives these birds their common name. Birdwatchers have been gathering near the Furniture Barn store opposite the park in order to see the birds in nearby trees. According to Emily Grant, who took a photo of the birds, said there more than 70 waxwings near to Sandall Park.

Source: 

'A Waxwing Winter': Soaring numbers of rare bird species

An unusual species of bird is enjoying a winter vacation here in the UK, according to the RSPB charity. 

Waxwings are a small starling-sized bird with a prominent crest and colourful markings. They only travel here from Siberia and northern Scandinavia when they experience a particularly harsh winter or if there is a shortage of food.

So many have been spotted this year, the RSPB has described it as a ‘Waxwing Winter’.

They're moving across the country from east to west and they're devouring trees full of berries .... Only ever 3 or 4 years do these birds come in large numbers.

The wildlife conversation charity hopes the rare winter visitor will encourage more people to take part in its annual Big Birdwatch, the world’s biggest wildlife survey.

Children across the country have already been getting involved in the Big Schools' Birdwatch. Others can join in on the Big Garden Birdwatch Weekend - 28 - 30 January. Those taking part are asked to spend an hour counting the birds in their garden or local green space.

Continued  

Waxwings extend their winter stay in Lancashire

3:44pm Friday 26th April 2013 in News

BIRDWATCHERS have reported ‘unprecedented’ sightings of a rare bird on an estate in Burnley, the latest date they have ever been seen in Lancashire. 

Yesterday, twitchers recorded 13 waxwings feeding on berries at Barnes Court, on the Brunshaw estate. 

The birds have normally migrated back to Scandinavia by the end of March but the unusually cold and prolonged winter has seen them stay here. 

The RSPB estimates only 100 or less of the species winter in the UK, normally in eastern England and Scotland. Allen Rycroft, 66, from Cliviger, is a member of East Lancashire Ornithology. 

He said: “There have been several sightings in the past few weeks of waxwings at Barnes Court and Grindleton Avenue. 

“Waxwings have never been seen here this late. Our records show the latest ever sighting in Lancashire was in 1996, on April 17, in Darwen. 

“They are a real treat to see with magnificent plumage. It’s great that they’re here in the middle of Burnley.” 

The waxwing is a plump bird, which is slightly smaller than a starling. 

It has a prominent reddish-brown crest with a black throat, a small black mask round its eye, yellow and white in the wings and a yellow-tipped tail. 

It does not breed in the UK, but is a winter visitor, when the population on its breeding grounds gets too big for the food available. 

Continued: http://www.thelancasterandmorecambecitizen.co.uk/news/10383480.Waxwings_extend_their_winter_stay_in_Lancashire/

Unusual bird expected to make Colchester appearance

FLOCKS of stunning birds are poised to appear in north Essex this winter.

Waxwings occasionally migrate from Scandinavia when a successful breeding season means their local berry supply is exhausted and do not winter every year.

But experts at the Essex Wildlife Trust are hopeful for an irruption this year, where the birds arrive in large numbers, and there has already been some sightings at Abbotts Hall Farm, Great Wigborough, and Fingringhoe Wick nature reserves, and also further south in Maldon and South Woodham Ferrers.

Slightly smaller than a starling Waxwings have a mix of colours with a prominent pinky crest from which it gets its nickname pink punk. It is reddish-brown with a black throat, a small black mask round its eye, yellow and white in the wings and a yellow-tipped tail. The wax refers to the red endings on the feather tips which help identify the age and sex of the bird.

Regular updates of Waxwing sightings will be given by Essex Wildlife Trust on their website.

The trust wants to collate records about Waxwing sightings in Essex this winter and people are asked to email details of their sightings and any photographs to records@essexwt.org.uk.

The email subject should be Waxwing and include your name, an accurate location including a postcode and if possible six-figure grid reference, who saw them, when, and how many birds were recorded.

http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/10096617.Unusual_bird_expected_to_make_Colchester_appearance/

Waxwings in Ireland

December 2012. We have received several reports of waxwings in Ireland. Reader Christine Cassidy has provided us with a series of images taken in Derry of a flock of waxwings she spotted.  We have also had a report of waxwings in north west Donegal. 

Britain has seen a large influx of several thousand waxwings this autumn. With distinctive bright red tips at the end of their dusky pink plumage, square-ended yellow tail feathers and a black ‘highwayman' band running across their eyes, these colourful little birds have big characters. A flock of 1,000 was seen round the Isle of Skye, and several flocks of up to 300 birds have been present in Yorkshire and the Humber region as the birds move south after having depleted berry crops further north. 

Breed in the Arctic

Waxwings are birds of the high Arctic and boreal forest, the closest breeding populations being found in Scandinavia. Every few years, flocks of birds erupt, possibly driven by good breeding seasons, or a lack of berries, their main food source. They then fly across the North Sea to spend the winter here. They often congregate in towns and cities, choosing very public sites such as supermarkets or council car parks where the planting of ornamental berry bushes such as rowan or cotoneaster provide great feeding opportunities. 

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/ireland-waxwings.html

Waxwing ringing project gets underway in York

Waxwing year gets underway with large flocks on Skye and in Yorkshire and Humberside

November 2012. 

Britain has seen a large influx of several thousand waxwings this autumn. With distinctive bright red tips at the end of their dusky pink plumage, square-ended yellow tail feathers and a black ‘highwayman' band running across their eyes, these colourful little birds have big characters. A flock of 1,000 was seen round the Isle of Skye, and several flocks of up to 300 birds have been present in Yorkshire and the Humber region as the birds move south after having depleted berry crops further north. 

Rowan tree
Natural England staff and volunteers from the Lower Derwent Valley National Nature Reserve (NNR) came to nearby York to ring waxwings around the York Walls. With permission from the City of York Council, nets were set round a rowan tree beneath the city walls and 12 waxwings were soon caught. This was a great result in terms of successfully ringing birds to gather scientific evidence; and a fantastic opportunity to tell the watching public more about waxwings and how bird ringing projects work.

Craig Ralston, Natural England's Senior Reserve Manager from the Lower Derwent Valley NNR, waxed lyrical about the ringing project. He said: "This ringing project - which forms part of a wider scientific data collection programme - brings fascinating conservation work more often found on our nature reserves, right into the heart of the city. It's a great way of engaging with people about the surprising natural wonders that can be found on our doorsteps."

Read on:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/york-waxwings.html