Seen any Waxwings yet? Much to my chagrin I haven't. They seem to have largely bypassed the York area but, with this winter set for the biggest influx of these strikingly coloured berry marrauders from the Baltic, I'm confident some will turn up here soon and I won't have to travel far to see them.

Been plenty on the coast - Flamborough, Bridlington and Ravenscar, and inland in Thirsk, Sheffield and Pickering and further afield up in Scotland flocks of 100+ in various locations. 

They don't breed in the UK, strictly winter visitors, so where do they come from and why? As is normally the case with mass influxes of birds to these isles it's all to do with food. In their usual locale of Northern Scandinavia, the Baltic states and Russia, Waxwings are as common as Starlings are here, but they rely on a plentiful supply of berries to see them through the winter months. If there's insufficient berries up there to sustain them they travel south in search of food and hence we get a Waxwing invasion. There's usually a few turn up every winter but the last big one was a decade ago in the winter of 2012 / 13 when 1000s turned up and I witnessed a flock of 300+ feasting on berries along the bar walls in York. I remember the occassion well, suited and booted en route for what turned out to be a successfull interview with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust!

I doubt I'll see that many again but who knows. 

More information about Waxwings

BTO info on Waxwings

RSPB info on Waxwings