Where are the waxwings?

Waxwing (photo by Gordon Langsbury, www.birdphoto.org.uk)

By all accounts it’s been a good year for waxwings. These winter migrants are typically found in greatest numbers in northern Britain and along the east coast, but various sites are now reporting sightings throughout London’s suburbs. As far as I can tell, however, Lewisham is still waiting!

These interesting maps from the BTO show how reported Waxwing sightings (indicated in red) have shifted from north to south in the last 2 months. It is thought that this is a response to increased competition for food sources in the north as a result of the severe weather.

I’ve not had much time to get out this week but these distinctive Scandinavian invaders are worth keeping an eye out for. An unmistakable pinkish-red crest, black mask and colourful wing markings make them easily identifiable.
The appearance of large numbers of birds in the UK this year (the term ‘irruption’ is often used) is thought to be linked to a shortage of food in their normal wintering grounds. They feed predominantly on berries and surprisingly, it is said, one of the places they are most frequently seen is supermarket car parks! This is due I suspect to the practice of landscaping urban areas with ornamental trees and hardy, native shrubs such as Hawthorn. Suddenly my next trip to Tesco sounds all the more appealing!