WINTER is a special season to me, no matter how dull the weather.
When I was younger, I could spend hours standing at the window watching the snow fall. I was always mesmerised by how quickly the rough landscape changed into a white wonderland like from the most beautiful fairy tale. This was also the time that I associated with countless presents (for my birthday and later for Christmas). Who does not like them?!
Now I still adore winter but for different reasons, namely for its wildlife visitors to the country. Last month, I introduced you to one of them – the short-eared owl – and now it is time I presented my favourite winter migrant: the Bohemian waxwing.
The sight of a waxwing can brighten up any winter day, regardless of how keen on birding you are. Two years ago, I was privileged to spend a fantastic afternoon with these birds.
It was a chilling but sunny day. As my dad, who is a nature lover, was visiting me for Christmas, I took the opportunity to take him on a trip to Aberlady. This place is always rich in all sorts of wildlife. I also knew that some waxwing sightings had been recorded earlier that week.
As soon as we arrived, I spotted a rather big flock of birds that briefly circulated above our heads before disappearing towards the reserve. Everything happened so fast that I did not have enough time to pick up my binoculars for a closer look at the birds.
We rushed towards a copse of rowan trees, where I knew the waxwings would most likely congregate. As we were coming closer, I could recognise the merry trill that these stunning birds make as they were happily feeding on berries. You may remember from my previous articles how careful I am when it comes to approaching wildlife. This time was no different; we took our time watching the waxwings from a distance, letting them get used to our presence. This is a great technique to signal to wildlife that we are no threat to them.
Suddenly, the flock was spooked by a dog and raised high in the sky for a split second before landing above our heads. My dad and I gave each other a knowing grin and started admiring the beautiful creatures sitting merely a couple of metres away from us. This was an unusual moment to me as a wildlife photographer: the birds were so close that my lens was too big to capture the scene! But that picture of waxwings having a feast right above me will stay in my memory for a long time.
Waxwings are often mistaken for common starlings. These two species are similar in size and, to an extent, profile.
However, if you look closely, you should spot the peach-brown colouring of waxwings’ plumage. An even closer look will reveal the real charm and beauty that these birds possess: the enlivening neutral base colours are accompanied by splashes of white and red in the wings and a strong yellow band at the base of the tail. The head is crowned by a distinctive crest, which can be raised or lowered depending on the bird’s mood. Adding to their appeal is the prominent black mask on their eyes.
Waxwings are gregarious birds, who can form large flocks consisting of hundreds of individuals. They breed in boreal forest; that extends from Scandinavia through Russia and across to the Pacific coast.
Waxwings are a forgiving subject to photograph; they do not encounter humans within their breeding habitats, therefore are approachable on their winter grounds, providing a great opportunity to capture them feeding on colourful berry trees.
Waxwings make a loud but cheerful trill as they scour the landscape looking for fruit.
Berries are incredibly important for waxwings in the winter. These birds can eat up to twice their body weight, which makes around 800-1,000 berries a day!
Their diet changes during their breeding season as the birds switch to feeding on mosquitoes and midges.
Our native rowan is their favoured tree, but they will happily feed on hawthorn, cotoneaster and rosehips as well as dried fruit.
If waxwings are in the area and you do not have berries, they can be attracted into gardens using apple halves hung from a tree. It is common to spot waxwings in such ordinary places as supermarket car parks, as they often have ornamental shrubs with berries.
This was my first year writing Zan’s Wildlife Diary and I have greatly enjoyed sharing my stories and experiences with you. I hope you all had fun reading my column!
If you have enjoyed my pictures this year and would like to see more, I now have Wildlife Calendars 2021 for sale. Get in touch for more details.
I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year when it comes!
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