Waxwing and other things at Kirkstall Abbey

Walking along the riverbank by Kirkstall Abbey I heard a familiar trilling in the treetops, and looked up  to see a flock of 20 Waxwing. Up until a couple of months ago I'd never knowingly seen Waxwing but was confident of a sighting having heard reports of flocks appearing in previous years in the urban parks of Leeds to feed on winter berries.

I consider myself lucky to have spotted them in Leeds on 4 separate occasions.  Firstly in January from my bedroom window (15), then half an hour later in the centre of town (50) and then my previous sighting during a coffee run at work (15) in a beech tree beside the Students Union just over a week ago. I'd read that they visit from November to March so I assumed that would be the last opportunity of the year to see them before they head back up to Scandinavia .

Walking on, I spotted them again in the treetops overlooking the rugby pitch, next to a busy Kirstall Road, Kirkstall Abbey is visible in the background.

Looping back down by the River Aire, on the opposite riverbank this Fox strode purposefully throught the grass, stopping to watch us for a few minutes before heading into the scrub. If I happen to see it again it'll be easily identified as it appears to have half a tail.

 

Other wildlife included a couple of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, male and female Goosander, Wren, Mistle Thrush, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Jackdaw, Wood Pigeon, Mallard, Moor Hen and two Treecreeper's going about their business in this riverside willow.

Waxwings fly into town

Over the past couple of years Ive followed fellow blogger reports of Waxwings sightings with a tiny amount of envy. If I had a bird list Waxwing would be vying for top spot, in close contest with a Bittern and a Jack Snipe, all unlikely candidates for sightings from my bedroom window. Unlikely that is until this afternoon.....

On opening the bedroom window to check the weather I heard a chorus of trills, and was astonished to see 15 Waxwing in the tree at the end of the terrace. A frantic camera search ensued, one had no lens, the other no card, a quick rummage produced only a medium lens and barely enough time to rattle off a couple of shots before they disappeared. Although gutted that they're all blurred/too distant, I was still chuffed with my garden sighting. Ive included a couple for reference and as a reminder to myself to always keep the camera ready for action, doh! The tiny blurry dots in the topmost branches are indeed Waxwing. The second pic shows the last bird to fly off, at least you can just make out the distinctive profile and my window frame top left.

After all this excitement I had to rush out of the house to catch a bus into town, and assumed that would be the last I'd see of the Waxwings.......That is until I got off the 49 bus at the bottom of the Headrow, beside the Crown Court building. I imagined I was hearing things when I caught the sound of trilling for a second time and gazed upwards to see 40/50 Waxwing in the uppermost branches of a Plane tree. This time, I was armed only with my camera phone I apologise once more for the shots which require a certain amount of zooming in, squinting and goodwill, but I assure you they wereWaxwing, and they were there. I chuckled at the appropriate backdrop and moved round for a better shot. 

15 or so on the bottom right branches and a few top left. 

Looking up towards the Headrow,  the Waxwing are sat at the top of the tree, not to be confused with the remaining Plane tree fruits.

Perhaps next time I might get a decent shot?