2nd watch of the year abandoned and some previous years Waxwing images.

Once again birding was abandoned today with a howling gale, heavy rain and banks of fog over the west ridge. 1445 hrs and raring to go but the sky was as black as night and the clincher was thick fog rolling in although this did clear last light when it was too late. Hopefully , the forecast is looking better for the morning. A dog walk across to Roper Lane saw a glimpse of sunset as the fog lifted but this was soon extinguished when the rain returned.
                                                        No reports of Waxwings today but all the usual hotspots have plenty berries on the Rowans. Sainsburys, Halifax has a splendid crop but no takers today other than Blackbirds.
If you get onto a flock of Waxwings and find a smaller bird with white under tail coverts as opposed to red, plain wings and a white supercillium above and below the eye, panic, as you,ve found a Cedar Waxwing as opposed to the common Bohemian. The Bohemian Waxwing that we see in winter breeds east of Scandinavia to Russia whereas the rare Cedar is a trans Atlantic bird from North America and Iceland. Dont worry if you dont see one as they are mega rare.
I,ve put together a few images of Queensbury Waxwings from previous years just to spice up a dark windy wet evening.
BS

                        House Sparrow photo bombing

      Showing the red ,so called wax tips on the wing, hence Waxwing.

BS