Waxwings at Home

Spent the day visiting new areas around the north of the York Recording Area, but first up was a small flock of five Waxwing that were at the end of my street.  They flew over and landed above me as I was walking the dogs and luckily they were still there a couple of hours later when I got back! I got a couple of quick photos (below).

Waxwing - Andy Walker

Waxwing - Andy Walker

Waxwing (all five) - Andy Walker

I then took a drive north visiting Ampleforth, Gilling, Nunnington, West Ness, Castle Howard. A good selection of birds but nothing ground-breaking!

The farmland and woodland in the Howardian Hills held Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, 8 Bullfinch, 3 Little Owl, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jays, lots of Buzzard, a couple of Sparrowhawk and Kestrel and plenty of much commoner birds.

Male Bullfinch (phone-scoped)

Castle Howard was packed with birds, most noteworthy was the female Scaup that's still present and 4/5 Goosander.

The Scaup (photo taken a few weeks back)

On the way home I came across a field with 120+ Greylags and in with them five Pink-footed Geese (record shot below).  I called in at North Duffield in the hope that the two Tundra Bean Geese would still be present from earlier in the day - no joy! Did have a drake Greater Scaup again on the floods.

Pink-footed Geese (phone-scoped with no tripod!)

Pink-footed Geese (phone-scoped with no tripod!)