WAXWINGS!!

Having heard that there are waxwings about in the Cotswolds this year, and having missed the ones that were in Highworth last week, I was pleased to read on the local blog that a couple had been seen in Swindon yesterday, and this morning there were 6 spotted. On that optimistic note I decided it was worth a trip into Swindon to see if I could see them, as I've never seen any before. 

As I drove down Bristol Street I noticed a couple of people with long lenses on cameras looking up at  the Rowan trees, so found a car park close by and made my way down to where they were.  A local birder I know was there and pointed to a group of birds high up in a tall tree in little way away, and said that every so often ( maybe 20 minutes or so) they would swoop down to grab a few berries before returning to the same tree to preen.  True to his word, I didn't have to wait long before they came down, but quickly were frightened away by one of the buses that frequent the road.  However, in an hour and a half of waiting they appeared about 5 or 6 times more, and on the last occasion the light was better and I was able to get a half decent photograph.  Glad I went!