Waxwings - an invasion

This was fairly local, fairly easy to get onto, and possibly one of my greatest birding spectacles in the UK. Reports that yesterday someone had seen 280 Waxwings on a housing estate in Stockport, unforunatly I didnt pick this up until late that evening, so in trepadation the next morning I set off on the 20 minute journy in hope rather than expectation. Straight to the location and a single Twitcher confirmed that he had seen them  a few minutes before I arrived. ASparrowhawk had flushed them. A lone tree in a front garden was still carrying a few berries, not that many though as it had been well stripped of most of them the previous day. After a search of the area and a little wait longer in they came, you can hear the wing beats as they fly in. A telegraph pole was their sanctuary for now.

 

 

this image doesnt get then all in but we counted 120 at anyone time



 

Of course it was the food they were after

 

 

not long after another Sparrowhawk fly past caused them to disperse again and although they did return, this time the flock was alot smaller, 30+.

Even one of the neighbours came out and made me a cuppa..... easy birding this.

Happy Day! s