Will it be a Waxwing winter?

With Autumn well and truly upon us and with migrants arriving in preparation for the coming winter, many of us will be hoping to see one of the most eye-catching of winter visitors, the Waxwing.

These unmistakable-looking birds, with their prominent crest with feathers that stick up, can often be seen in large flocks, feeding on berries growing on trees both in the countryside and even in more urban locations like shopping centre car parks. Last year, a group took up residence for some time on a small clump of trees in the middle of a roundabout on a nearby A road. The result was a regular procession of local birders parking some distance away and walking, binoculars in hand, back to the roadside to catch a glimpse of the birds. No doubt this was to the bemusement of the many truck drivers who passed by.

It is amazing to think that these birds, who come to the UK from their breeding grounds in Russia, have found their way to a small group of trees in the middle of a road in the Midlands. Spurred on by the dwindling food supplies nearer home, these starling-sized birds head to the north and easter parts of the UK to find more plentiful supplies. Even though the northern and eastern parts of the UK usually see the majority of the migrants, they can just as easily turn up in many parts of the country as my seeing them on the English/Welsh border will attest.

A Waxwing’s favourite berry is said to be the Rowan, and during winters when the berry stocks are low on their home territories – Waxwing winters – it isn’t unusual for them to gather in sizeable flocks on even the smallest number of Rowan trees. The behaviour of moving into an area at any time during a harsh winter is known as ‘irruptive’, so it is worth keeping your eyes open for them at any time throughout the winter months.

If Waxwings do decide to come to the UK this winter, it would seem that they won’t be short of food in my area, with good crops of berries to be seen in the hedgerows and on the trees in gardens and public areas. The abundance of berries seemed to start quite early, so it remains to be seen if this is a precursor to a hard winter or not. I’m sure the Waxwings and other winter visitors like the Redwing, who you may hear passing overhead at night making their distinctive ‘zeeer’ call, would rather they didn’t have to journey so far to find food. But for those of us who enjoy seeing these visitors, their misfortune is our gain.

So, if you do hear that they have been seen in your area, it’s well worth trying to see them. As for this winter being a Waxwing winter, only time will tell.

© Phil Pickin