Waxwings more elusive today at Holmethorpe, Surrey ... Sunday 12th December 2010

Today, the WAXWINGS at the Holmethorpe Industrial Estate were far more elusive. I arrived on site at about 8 a.m. and within 5 minutes of arriving I saw 10 birds flying over near the Euro Car Parts unit.
Thirty minutes later, a further 3 birds circled but headed back across the industrial estate.
I wandered back and forth under the railway bridge checking both sides of the railway embankment but it was not until 9.15 a.m. that 9 birds decided to perch high in a tree by the railway line a few yards from Euro Car Parts for a few minutes. Long enough to snatch a few shots of the birds before they flew off low across the industrial estate.


The uninspiring site that the Waxwings have been favouring.




At least 30 Redwings were feeding on the hawthorn berries by the railway line with similar numbers of Fieldfares. A male Sparrowhawk flew along the line of hawthorns but left the area without catching a meal. A Reed Bunting was perched in the hawthorns and a lone Skylark flew overhead whilst 67 Coots were on the Water Colours Lagoons along with a pair of Shoveler.



At about 2.20 p.m. local birder Gordon Hay managed to find 15 of the WAXWINGS , again by the Euro Car Parts unit, and there was also a report of 30 birds present at 11.30 a.m. but I don't know who reported them, perhaps the observer could let me know for the local records.
Local birder Ian Kehl reported that the female/1st-winter male GOLDENEYE was still on Mercers West Pit but he failed to locate the female Smew seen yesterday but it may still be in the area.

Graham