Wythenshawe

Waxwings

I was feeling mildly idle today after having had a long weekend with not much exercise so I toddled over to Wythenshawe to see if the waxwings that have been around this past week were still about.

There were roadworks everywhere so a simple journey involving getting over to Withington on the 25 then the 101 down to Wythenshawe Hospital seemed to take forever. I walked down Clay Lane and through the cut to Capenhurst Road and there were three trees absolutely jam-packed with bright red berries but no waxwings. I walked back to the entry (I didn't want to be lurking round people's front doors) and had a look round. Robins, great tits, coal tits and blackbirds sang in the trees along Clay Lane, there were loads of woodpigeons about, dunnocks and spadgers bounced about in hedges. But no waxwings.

I was about to give up when I heard an unfamiliar call, a thin starling-like call with none of the embellishments. A couple of starling-like birds flew into the tree above my head. Then a couple more. And more. I counted a dozen in the end. I tried to get a few photos but, inevitably, they were all silhouetted against the flat grey sky. A couple flew out of the tree, did a quick skittering circuit and ducked back in again.

I had this waxwing focussed so that it was smiling for the camera so it stuck its beak in its back feathers.

The waxwings weren't going to give me any better photos but they were, as always, nice to see. I had one last look then walked back to the hospital for the buses home.