Pictures at Last



Why is it called Waxwing mummy ??





After much looking and searching with a few flyovers to show for my efforts, I finally managed to catch up with a nice flock of Waxwings. I dashed home for the camera and the trilling was coming from the top of a tree next to the road where 19 birds were settled, these soon flew towards the sports centre and joined the feeding frenzy in a White Rowan which was right next to the centre door. Setting up right next to the tree and despite the apauling light I managed to get a few quite reasonable shots. In all 52 birds were present and very much appreciated by the small crowd I attracted.

A Grey Day

With a thick damp mist hanging over Ripon and soon getting fed up with housework, I decided to strike out and try for a year tick or two. Ticker has been scoring with every shot this autumn and has reached the heady heights of 208 with me floundering on 243 having missed everything.


First it was a quick trip to Skipton where a Grey Phalarope put on a great show to the assembled few and posed beautifully for some snaps.

Grey Phalarope

Grey Phalarope

 Unfortunately the light having not ever been much better than poor all day deteriorated to crap by the time I arrived at Hollingworth Lake so the pictures of the Grebe only just qualify as record shots, still they are better than the ones I had.

Pied-billed Grebe

Struck out again on sunday looking for Waxwings in Harrogate. Despite a tip from PKB about 100 on Jennyfields I still dipped. Anyway thats 245 now, might manage 250 for first time in years.

Sunday Ringing

A very cold dawn welcomed us to our ringing site and nets took a lot longer than usual but we eventually produced some very nice birds. Of the 500 Fieldfares which were in the area we caught one !!

First year male Fieldfare

A grand total of 46 new birds were caught with a respectable species tally of 16 which included a few Redwings and Blackbirds as well as two Siskins and a fine Kingfisher which was caught in a net as far from water as is possible on our site near feeder 1.

First year female Kingfisher

First year male Siskin

Waxwing at last

I was definately starting to think it was personal between me and our colourful scandinavian visitors but at long last I finally caught up with a small flock of 12 Waxwings feeding in a tree at the end of my street. A mad dash back home for the camera was to no avail as on my return the tree was been beseiged by a group of kids playing catch, the little darlings had sent the Waxwings flying and despite checking all the usual haunts in the immediate area not another bird was seen.

An update from Ticker this week and despite some very wintery weather he is still pushing hard and with me in the yearlist doldrums he has amassed 208, his latest been Lappmeis (thats Siberian Tit to you and me) which seems to have taken up residence at our photographer friend Terjes feeding station for the winter. If any photographers actually read this trips can be arranged, both for passerine feeding stations (Grey-headed Woodpecker and Sibe Tit) so far this autumn as well as the usual selection of tits, finches and woodpeckers and to a feeding station for eagles which has a comfortable purpose built hide overlooking it.

Well Done Nick

News from this weekend is sparse as I have had personal commitments. Birding at most times is more important than life or death to some of us.

But at certain times it must take a back seat and this weekend one of the most dedicated and capable east coast birders, a self confessed beer guzzling, pie eating, unfit and well past his best before date completed the Scarborough 10K in memory of his son William, all proceeds donated to a charity set up to help premature babies through their early days BLISS.

Congratulations to Nick Addey who raised over £500

Milestone reached

Congratulations to ticker who has just this morning reached his 200 for the year in Nord-trondelag with a Lappfiskand, thats Smew to us illiturate English. News also recieved from our manic Norwegian twitcher friend Dickie Nyburg who now stands on 393 for Norway after picking up a Bairds Sandpiper. I should add that the people in Norway who have 400 on their lists can be counted on one hand, so come on Dickie.

Gold Strike

With more conducive conditions for ringing Kes and me were joined by Aidan for a mornings ringing at BM. I think we were all hoping for a Yellow-browed, well two of us were the other was hoping someone would throw a stick. (I have tried to get Aidan to seek help with this problem) Alas the wished for bird made landfall a few miles to the north with Nosterfield Nature Reserve near Masham getting this little gem from the east. Even worse two Blue-tails made land within twitching distance but thankfully neither were in Yorkshire, as I had other commitments in the afternoon and very enjoyable they turned out to be, there will be others I hope (thats enjoyable other commitments and Blue-tails).

I digress, the ringing went well with 147 birds of 17 species been ringed and a couple of nice returning old friends for the winter. Top score went to Goldfinch with 104 with amazingly Goldcrest with seven coming in second. Summer was still represented by singles of  Chiffchaff and Blackcap and winter got its foot in the door with a Redwing. Aidan also scored a ringing tick with a nice juv male Sparrowhawk.