Keep your eyes open for Waxwings this winter – they are migrants from Finland, Sweden, Norway or western Russia, mostly seen in Scotland or the north of England when its particularly cold back home or when berry crops have failed in Northern Europe.
In an exceptional year they make it down to the south east and this is one of those years. It’s called a waxwing winter or “irruption”. During the last few days of December you could find large groups of them all over North Farm Industrial Estate where I took these photos.
Previously known as Bohemian Waxwings because of their unconventional wandering community lifestyle. They are Starling sized birds with a distinctive crest and quite stunning colouring – note those flashes of red on the wing, reminiscent of sealing wax – hence the name! You may hear a group before you see them with their high-pitched whistles and trills, referred to as “sree” – or sometimes described as jingling sleigh bells …..but I’m not so sure about that!
Look for flocks in trees and on bushes with red berries – particularly rowan, hawthorn, cotoneaster and rosehip. Berries are vital for waxwings in the winter and they typically eat 800+ berries a day, roughly twice their body weight. They seem unafraid of humans and built up areas and they can be found in town centres , car parks and gardens.
Please let us know if you see them in Groombridge – they are so close now and moving south so very likely to find Broadwater Warren.
Phil
Jan 2024
Wild Groombridge 