WAXWING jamboree

FRIDAY 30 NOVEMBER


Another sharp frost and another glorious day but with temperatures really struggling to get beyond 3 degrees C. Superb light conditions and many photographers out trying to make the most of it

WAXWINGS really have arrived in earnest in our area now and I made every effort to see those present in HERTFORDSHIRE today..........

Following an early morning call from Darrel Bryant, I started off in STEVENAGE, where two adult WAXWINGS were performing incredibly well in the lone Pink Sorbus tree at 99 York Road - a regular stop-off for this species. Along with the finder, I was able to get some nice images of the two birds, both of which were still present at 1005 hours when I departed.

It was then off to BENGEO, where no less than 18 birds were performing extraodinarily well in the Pink Rowans in the front garden of 49 The Avenue. There were quite a few photographers present and one kind resident even offered us tea and coffee. In fact, many local residents were interested in what was the attraction. And then, when driving away from the site, I located an additional 12 birds in the berry-bearing shrubs by 133 The Avenue - so 30 birds in total.

Less than two miles away, in TANNERS CRESCENT, HERTFORD, a smaller party of 4 birds was also showing well, again favouring Pink Sorbus at the front of numbers 7 & 9; one of these was a first-winter.

So, 36 WAXWINGS encountered in total, the first of many hundreds I suspect - although not one was colour-ringed.

Over in WINDMILL ROAD, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, the 3 or 4 heavily-laden berry-bearing trees at the Lower Yott junction were bustling with birds, including 9 Woodpigeons, 11 Common Blackbirds, 1 Mistle Thrush, 6 Common Magpies, 4 Chaffinches and 22 Common Starlings all feasting on the fruits. Nearby, on the River Gade, a single Little Egret feeding.

Still no more to be found in areas closer to my home though, just a single Little Egret on the CHESS, and an adult Sinensis Cormorant