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An individual, of no great importance, who is unable to see the natural world as a place for competition. I catch fish, watch birds, derive immense pleasure from simply looking at butterflies, moths, bumble-bees, etc - without the need for rules! I am Dylan and this is my blog - if my opinions offend? Don't bother logging on again - simple!

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Saturday, 16 December 2023

Local Waxwings


I saw on the Sandwich Bay Obs website, last night, that there had been 25+ Waxwings seen in Broadstairs. No other info but, knowing that if they were about, the area around Park Avenue/Ramsgate Road and Dumpton Gap would be worth checking. So this morning, after the obligatory coffee, I jumped in the van and drove around to Park Avenue. It's probably 400m in a straight line from the front door, but requires a trip around the houses to actually get there. Well, what d'yer know. Perched in the top of a roadside tree, right next to an ornamental Rowan, were a group of five birds. Get in. One other guy was already there, camera in hand, and he told me that there had been twenty-seven present yesterday. Within seconds of this guy ringing out the news, other "toggers" started to show up. Some proper fancy camera kit on display, yet not a pair of binoculars in sight? Not being part of the gang, I kept to myself and rattled off just nine images, in atrocious light conditions before, suddenly, they were up and away. I quickly followed suit and took a drive around the rest of the area where I felt there might be a chance of spotting some more. Didn't happen and I was back indoors less than forty minutes after leaving. Job done - bloody twitcher!


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6 comments:

  1. Anonymous16 December 2023 at 17:42

    Waxwings Dyl. My wife's favourite bird. At the start of an invasion, end of 2011, she announced she wanted to go to Bushey Arches (Watford) because of 'the' Waxwings. A twitch no less. Job done. Over the next few months I kept running into them, all over the place. Last viewing was in May 2012 Stockers lake. Hawking insects by then.

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    1. Dylan Wrathall16 December 2023 at 18:00

      I "twitched" my first Waxwings in Harrow some time around 1991 - Stockers Lake became etched in my birding journey when I "twitched" a group of eight Cattle Egrets, again in the early 1990's. Having twitched those five Waxwings this morning, I had a flock of eighteen fly over the Dumpton Nissan Garage around 14.00hrs this afternoon. Obviously they are on the move at present.

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  2. Ric18 December 2023 at 06:20

    I appear to have become anonymous, again! fat finger work 🤦‍♂️

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  3. Stewart18 December 2023 at 09:20

    Waxwings are maybe the most togger attractive bird we have with Owls, Kingfisher and Bittern close behind...At least on my patch a little out of the way for most, my Waxwings were mostly togger free...

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    1. Dylan Wrathall18 December 2023 at 18:55

      Hi Stewart,
      As I didn't actually find these birds myself, I am hardly in a position to question the motivation to see them by other, camera wielding, folk. If your main hobby is photography, then it's no wonder that Waxwings would prove to be such a magnet. What I struggle with is the complete lack of fieldcraft and binoculars - takes all sorts I suppose?
      Wishing you and yours a very Happy Christmas - Dyl

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    2. Stewart19 December 2023 at 20:23

      All the very best to You and Bev too Dyl, Merry Christmas...

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