I spent a day or two last week feeding builders coffee. We’re having a window put in the gable end of the extension. The intention is for it to eventually overlook a pond so we can sit in the warm and stare out onto our own little bit of wild Norfolk. What seemed like an endless conveyor belt of cups to and from the garden at least gave me the opportunity of breaks from the laptop. It was on one of these breaks while standing back and admiring with the builders their work I heard a familiar distant call. It got louder and even before they came into view I called out “Waxwings”
This resulted in one or two quizzical looks and I had to explain that the sixteen birds that flew north west over the garden were Waxwings heading back north to their Scandinavian summering grounds. Their yellow tail tips were so obvious against the blue of he sky as they quickly moved through.
This is the second occurrence of Waxwings seen from the garden here at Falcon Cottage. One individual spent a few minutes examining the crab apple tree last November. Hopefully one or two more will visit for a while longer in years to come as the bank of Hawthorns, Pyracantha, Crab Apples and Cotoneasters I have planted mature and bear the red berries which Waxwings find irresistible.
The photo below was taken on a Birding Tour last month when we found a small flock on the coast.
Letter From Norfolk 