Waxwings !

Despite checking hundreds of berry trees in the area on the way to work I haven't had a sniff of a Waxwing this week but I still thought I'd have another look after I did a few jobs in the greenhouse today. Most seemed to have passed through the area but you never know how things can pan out.
I casually came back to the house after a knock on the window from my wife which I wrongly assumed meant my cuppa was ready. "What's those birds up in the trees with a crest she inquired?". Immediate panic. I looked round but I knew even before I saw them that they would be what has been an elusive bird for me these past couple of weeks. There sat up in the Beech trees in what was the paddock of Waldridge Hall farm but a group of Waxwings. 12 of the beauts were fly-catching from the tops. I have a fully berry-laden Asian Firethorn (Pyracantha rogersiana) in the garden but these ones seemed to be happily catching insects on the wing in the bright sunshine. Excellent. They spend an hour or so here and then they gradually drifted off. I could still hear them calling which is a soft  ringing trill, "srrrr" so they haven't gone far.

The Waxwings were more interested in catching flies than munching berries today.

Blue Tit in the garden

My failed attempts during the week to find them did not produce much else but that I'm sure was a combination of the weather and time. A single Skylark and 3 Redwing was the grand total. The bird table is now up and it didn't take long for the Blue Tits to find it so it shouldn't be too long before the other birds also arrive