The current issue of my local paper has much coverage of a recent “invasion” of the waxwing, a rather attractive bird. So in a rare excursion into natural history rather than cryptozoology, here is what has been happening in the ornithological world in this part of England lately.
The rather lame headline on (Wed) November 10th was:
BERRY GOOD TIME TO SEE WAXWINGS
A beautiful bird has been spotted in Macclesfield this week thanks to the town`s bountiful berry supply.The influx of waxwings from their native arctic Russia and Scandanavia has created a buzz among the town`s birdwatchers. Some years, none come to country but when they do, Macclesfield is a prime location for the pink-ish bird about the size of a starling with a bold crest and intricate yellow and black waxy markings on their wing features. They are drawn to the rowan berry and hawthorn bushes planted years ago by Macclesfield council. On Macclesfield`s RSPB website there have been a couple of sightings logged at Standing Stones by Macclesfield Forest…[Treasurer] David Tolliday added “And in Macclesfield we`ve had a bumber year for berries thanks to a good summer.” Cheshire Wildlife Trust and the RSPB are calling for gardeners to avoid cutting berry-laden trees to give waxwings and other visitors like redwings and fieldfares the chance to feed. If you see a waxwing, go to
bird.records@macclesfieldrspb.org.uk to report your sighting. (1)
Another part of the same paper said:
“Scouting parties [of waxwing-R] were seen as early as early as the last week of October, including 800 on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and…
250 in Stromness, Orkney;
200 in Inverness, Highland;
160 at Alness, Highland;
150 on Seil Island, Argyll
150 at Kinloss, Morayshire;
100 at Fort William,Highland
100 at Kyle of Lochalsh
They will be checking for the much rarer cedar waxwing from North America. In 1996 one was seen with a flock in Nottinghamshire.” (2)
1.
Macclesfield Express Nov. 10th 2010 p. 18
2. Ibid Life Supplement p. 12
Over on their blog Centre for Fortean Zoology Australia have posted an intriguing piece of footage. Is this a thylacine?
