Waxwings….

Over the last few weeks many visitors from local areas have spoken to us and told us of their sightings of waxwings in the area. One of out volunteers showed me a superb photo they’d taken of a flock of about 30 waxwing stripping berries from her rowan tree.   As there are no berry or fruit trees around Lowes we won’t be seeing any on the reserve. This year there has been an irruption of Waxwing in the UK, which usually happens when the Rowan berry crops have failed in the north European forests. The birds usually arrive in October and stay around until April time, when they will head off to their breeding grounds in Scandinavia .  Here’s a sound clip of their call, which is similar to a high pitched triling sound

20091108_BohWaxwing_Biotestsjon_pt2

I’d be interested to see how many of you folk have seen them in your local area- I ‘ve never seen one at all and I’m determined to see one this season!