Welcome for colourful visitors from the north

The bulk seem to have arrived on two days last week with more than 2,700 reported in Scotland and smaller flocks all down the east coast.

In Yorkshire, flocks reported so far have included 100 at Castle Hill Hospital, Hull and 100 in Halifax, 82 in Ilkley, 60 in Crossflatts near Bingley, 61 in Keighley, 70 in Skipton, and 50 in Pickering and Yeadon. To have such numbers present in October is exceptional, normally large-scale arrivals only take place in November and it suggests that there could be many more waxwings still in Scandinavia waiting for the prevailing winds to turn northerly again so they can cross the North Sea.

In peak years numbers can reach at least 12,000 individuals present.

Waxwings are easily identified by their pinky-beige plumage , bright yellow and white markings on the wings a yellow tipped tail, bright red waxy fingers to the secondary wing feathers and a red vent. Adults have a black bib and mask through the eye and a lacy head crest.

Large-scale arrivals of waxwings, known as irruptions, are prompted by the failure of berry crops in Scandinavia forcing the birds to move elsewhere for food.

In summer, waxwings breed in the taiga forests of northern Scandinavia and all across Russia and Siberia as far as eastern North America.

They feed on mosquitoes and midges in summer and only switch to berries when the weather turns colder, although even in this country they can sometimes be seen hawking for flies.

Their favourite food is the rowan berry but they will also feed on the berries of hawthorn and cotoneaster, the latter later in the winter. They take the berries from the trees rather than the ground and swallow them with a quick toss of the head. Although they are starling-sized, waxwings are agile enough to cling to the undersides of branches to take the berries from below.

Waxwing flocks can turn up anywhere, with supermarket car parks a particular favourite.

Julian Hughes of the RSPB drew up a top ten of favourites for waxwings with number one the Bradford-based Morrisons supermarket whose founder Sir Ken Morrison is a keen birdwatcher, followed by Tesco and Asda.

There is another waxwing, the cedar waxwing, found in North America alongside the Bohemian waxwing, the species that occurs here.

One of these was found in Nottingham city centre in February 1998 and attracted much interest from birdwatchers, including local MP Ken Clarke.

There have now been more than 30 rough-legged buzzards recorded in Britain over the past two weeks and in our region at least four, all juveniles, are present at Sleddale on the North York Moors while others have been seen at Buckton, North Yorkshire, Barmston, Leven Carrs and Tophill Low in East Yorkshire and Winscar reservoir in South Yorkshire.

Pallas's warblers were seen over the weekend at South Landing, Flamborough, Filey Country Park, Beacon Ponds and Barmston while two were caught and ringed at Whitby.

A juvenile glaucous gull and red-throated diver were seen in Scarborough Harbour.

A drake American wigeon continues to be seen from the Swantail hide at Wheldrake Ings, near York.

Two water pipits have been seen on the flashes at the RSPB's Fairburn Ings reserve near Castleford while a tawny owl and a flock of siskins are near the visitor centre.

tealebill48@ yahoo.co.uk

CW 6/11/10