Winter at Holme Bird Observatory (please click for clip)

Saturday 8 December 2012

Waxwing trapped and ringed! The first for 47 years

On 2nd December warden Sophie Barker trapped and ringed a Waxwing at the Bird Observatory. This is only the 3rd Waxwing to ever have been trapped at the Obs and the first since 1965 - Sophie's verdict, 'worth waiting 47 years for'. This bird, a young male, is one of a steady trickle of Waxwings that have arrived at the Obs during November and December.




Late news: CITRINE WAGTAIL 14th November

This CITRINE WAGTAIL was present late afternoon and evening on 14th November on the pools and flooded field by the track on the NWT reserve. Unfortunately, the identification was not clinched in the field, despite being strongly suspected by the visitor who found the bird. However, these photos clearly prove the identification beyond doubt. Incredibly this is the 2nd Holme record this year after the male in the Spring. To the frustration of many, especially local patchworkers, neither were twitchable and so, for all except a handful of fortunate people, the wait for a twitchable Holme Citrine Wagtail goes on. 

Whilst a late record, it is not the latest in the county: that accolade is still held by the first county record, at Welney 16th-17th November 1980 (T. Inskipp)

All photos by Dave Scott