Week 1 - Week Beginning 25/12/25 - Waxwings & Waders

December 25th


I had been desperately wanting to see waxwings for several months. After seeing my first bohemian waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus), a pair, on the 20th of December, near me in Peterborough. Another pair of waxwings had then been spotted in a town near me on the 24th of December. At 10am on Christmas day the sighting was updated to say they were still there. After opening presents and eating breakfast me, my mum and grandad drove to where they were recorded earlier that morning. My mum and grandad are also avid birders and my grandpa hadn't seen waxwings in around 11 years since they visited Rugby and was also very excited to see them. We arrived at the spot were they had been recorded at around 11am, a quite relatively modern housing estate, we spent around 5 minutes walking down an alley then out and along a side road were several prominent trees were lining the road. Not seeing anything we headed back to the car along another road. About halfway along the road ahead of us there was a pair of birds sitting there. Looking through the binoculars I realised they were the pair of waxwings. My grandpa was very excited and we watched the pair for around 30 minutes. The lighting wasn't the best but that didn't matter i still had some wonderful photos of the individuals on the 20th.



Bohemain Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus). Peterborough, 20/12/23

Bohemain Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus). Higham Ferris, 25/12/23


December 29th


On Friday me and my family visited Norfolk for a day out. To keep me happy we went bird watching in the morning and early afternoon. We first visited Holkham National Nature Reserve, an area of marshes, salt marshes, sand dunes and a public beach. Me and my mum were hoping to see shorelarks (Eremophila alpestris) another hopeful first for me. When we arrived we headed straight down to the cordoned off section of salt marsh were the shorelarks are usually seen. On the way down we spotted large numbers of teal, wigeon, lapwing and various geese species. Once we arrive at the salt marsh we spotted a common redshank (Tringa totanus) and a sanderling (Calidris alba). We did a lap of the area with no luck on spotting the Shorelarks, though we did see a few small white birds passerine birds (species unkown) that flew off as we approached. On the way back to the car we took a closer look at the birds on the marshes near the carpark. Amongst the teal, wigeon and lapwing we spotted Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata.) Amongst the usual suspects of Canada Geese and Greylag Geese were Brent Goose (Branta bernicla) and Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis.)


Common Redshank (Tringa totanus). Holkham NNR, 29/12/23

Sanderling (Calidris alba). Holkham NNR, 29/12/23

Teal (Anas crecca). Holkham NNR, 29/12/23


Next we went to Cley Marshes/ Cley Beach mostly to look for seals. As we arrived and parked up there was a Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) on the pool next to the carpark, unfortunately by the time I got my camera out the car it had gone. Walking along the beach towards Blakenely NNR we didn't see any seals. On the way back me and my mum were walking along the top of the shingles, I was watching the Marshes carefully and spotted another Eurasian Curlew, a pair of Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) and a singular Brent Goose. We also spotted a Red Kite (Milvus milvus.) 


Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola). Cley Marshes, 29/12/23

Brent Goose (Branta bernicla). Cley Marshes, 29/12/23


https://www.holkham.co.uk/visit/holkham-beach-nature-reserve/

https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-in-norfolk/nature-reserves/reserves/cley-and-salthouse-marshes

https://www.instagram.com/huwwphotography/


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