Waxwings

Saturday 21st to Sunday 29th January 2017
Waxwing, Quedgeley, 29th January
A nice museum of Waxwings arrived and settled in Quedgeley over the past week and I made a couple of visits to see them over the weekend. On Sunday morning I had them all to myself as they came to feed on Rose hips next the the footpath opposite the moat at Manor Farm. I counted 28 on Saturday and there were still at least 20 on Sunday.
Waxwing, Quedgeley, 28th January
Waxwing, Quedgeley, 29th January
Waxwing, Quedgeley, 29th January
The hedge at Kingsway, Quedgeley
With Andy on Saturday we finally caught up with the White-front flock, 180-strong, when they flew in to the Dumbles during the morning, illuminated by the sunshine.
Russian White-fronted Geese, WWT, 28th January
A Dunnock showed well next to the Holden Tower:
Dunnock, WWT, 28th January
Snipe, WWT, 28th January
And Snipe, Water Rail and Long-tailed Tits around the feeders at Willow Hide:
Water Rail, WWT, 28th January
Long-tailed Tit, WWT, 28th January
The previous weekend's birding with Andy saw us doing the rounds in the forest, picking up Hawfinches at Parkend (but no Dippers), Crossbills at Gorsey Tump, Siskins and Lesser Redpolls at Woorkgreens (but no sign of the GG Shrike), and nice views of birds coming to seed at Cannop Ponds (but no Marsh Tit):
Great Tit, Cannop, 21st January
Blue Tit, Cannop, 21st January
Nuthatch, Cannop, 21st January
The Sunday we went to Frampton, finally getting the Great White Egret at Court Lake:
Great White Egret, Frampton, 22nd January
We finished at the Splatt Bridge where a Water Pipit was at the north reed-bed scrapes. A confiding Redwing was encountered near Frampton church:
Redwing, Frampton, 22nd January

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