Waxwings

News comes through of five Waxwings feeding in a Garden in Chingford again this morning. 

Being down in Kent all day yesterday I was hoping the birds would stick around until today. Being only ten minutes from home and still needing Waxwing for a year tick, it's soon after the report that I'm in the car and heading for Long Deacon Drive.

Turning into the road we soon find the birds in a roadside tree. They are flying from this tree into the nearby garden and feeding on the numerous berries.

With the amount of berries still available in this garden and only five birds present, they should stay around for a while yet.

I'm not back home very long when the phone goes and Brian says he's going to try for the Great Grey Shrike at Therfield Heath. Back in the car to meet him and we are on our way. 

We have trouble finding the actual area where the birds have been seen, and none of the locals seem to have any idea about the birds.

Finally we find someone who knows where the birds have been seen and points us in the right direction.

Turning into Mill Lane we park up and head down the track. As we head down another year tick is added when 50+ Yellowhammers are seen perched in nearby trees. 

Scanning each and every hedge line we have no joy locating the shrikes. With very strong winds the birds are  probably well tucked in to the hedges.

So the first dip of the year, but as we head for home I spot three Grey Partridge in a roadside field to lift the mood and add another year tick for the three of us.

A really good couple of days with nine year ticks added over the course of the weekend.