Another day with the waxwings near Rodborough

As the weather was less stormy than it had been for the last couple of days and there were occasional appearances of sunshine between the scudding clouds, I suddenly decided to return to watching the visiting waxwings. Their presence in the UK has unsurprisingly become quite a talking point, so the presence of a fine flock on the top of the hillside opposite to our house made me think I must go and enjoy watching them while I can.

I drove up the old coaching road called Butterow Hill from the bottom of the Golden Valley as far as the Bear Hotel, where I turned to drive along the ridge leading across Rodborough Common. As I approached the tiny car parks, which use old former stone quarries sited beside the road leading to Rodborough village,  I saw in the distance the expected groups of photographers close to the copse and various hawthorn bushes and small trees. I parked about four hundred yards away and dressed fittingly to withstand the very cold and strong wind on this exposed ridge, and occasional flurries of rain.

There were more people than on my last visit three days ago and many more big fat long camouflaged lenses, tripods, waterproof clothing and even a few seats for the real twitchers. The first picture I took was of the photographers assembled close to a particular more remote bush, which I studiously avoided going near. It might become and ‘Extra’.

But as usual conversation was had with some friendly people who remarked on where the birds were and how they’d been behaving recently. By chance the flock suddenly appeared on a small shrub just a few yards from where I’d chosen to stand to take in the scene, and I managed  to get some good close ups.Once agin I was so impressed by the intrepidness of the flocks which didn’t seem at all perturbed by the presence of these humans, Sometimes birds even flew up and over me within a couple of feet of my head, which made me laugh. There were only a few minutes when you would be looking at the birds resting on the tree tops, before they would fly off at high speed to find another place to scoff the abundance of red berries, mostly hawthorns.

One group of photographers was lying flat on the ground, some with cameras on low tripods, waiting for the more occasions; flurry of birds dropping into a small hollow where puddles had collected in the grass. I went over for a short visit and saw a few of their visits, and have added an ‘Extra’ of one of the waxwings descending to drink. In fact I believe from my observations there that they were actually eating the mud formed  by the water in the hollow possibly as it might aid digestion of the berries to have some grit. In their stomachs, much like swans and other birds use hard material for their digestion needs.

I only stayed for about an hour as the cold was getting to me and I had to drive across to another valley to meet Liz W.. As I walked away I was just passed a lone shrub when the flock arrived together and landed in a bush very close to me. I managed to get a picture of thermal taking off together which I’m very pleased with, and it is another ‘Extra’.I don’t know how long they will stay but I feel we have been privileged to have the waxwings visiting our valley.