Unexpected visitors

Today didn’t look promising from a wildlife-watching point of view. This morning I was chairing a meeting of the South East Northumberland Tourism Association, followed by lunch and some admin work back in the office and then straight out to a school governor’s meeting. However, leaving school after the meeting, I was chatting with one of the other governors, and enjoying the warm, sunny afternoon…then I noticed four birds in a tree opposite. The distinctive silhouette with the spiky crest could mean only one thing – Waxwings. Maybe it’s because they look so exotic, maybe it’s because they inhabit northern forests (if I ever leave Northumberland then Scandinavia is very, very close to the top of the list of possible destinations) or maybe it’s because I saw my first Waxwings nearly 40 years ago and the shock of that first encounter has never left me. Whatever it is, they always bring excitement and there they were – sitting in an isolated bare tree in a housing estate close to home. They’ll all be gone soon, back across the North Sea for another breeding season, so keep your eyes peeled; any berry-laden trees or shrubs could be providing the fuel for their migration. Supermarket car parks and modern housing estates; prime locations for top-class birding.