Winter Treat

[PeterD]

Word got round very quickly that Waxwing were visiting Havant.
These birds are resident in Northern Europe and are not known for long distance migration unless the conditions force them to do so to look for food. This could either follow a very successful breeding season in Skandinavia or due to a poor supply of berries.
A flock of about 70 birds had found a good food source in Havant and have taken up temporary residence.
What makes it particularly unusual is that these birds have moved further west than is normal. I think you will agree that these are beautiful birds and bring more cheer to the season.

A selection from my website:-
http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/Birds/Bombycillidae-Waxwing/Waxwing-Bombycilla-garrulus/PC278857/1138494073_ZHXBs-XL.jpg

http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/Birds/Bombycillidae-Waxwing/Waxwing-Bombycilla-garrulus/PC278882/1138566534_FQBag-XL.jpg

http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/Birds/Bombycillidae-Waxwing/Waxwing-Bombycilla-garrulus/PC278884/1138636330_oAA6U-XL.jpg

http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/Birds/Bombycillidae-Waxwing/Waxwing-Bombycilla-garrulus/PC278903/1138669742_eFQxX-XL.jpg

http://peterd-2009.smugmug.com/Birds/Bombycillidae-Waxwing/Waxwing-Bombycilla-garrulus/PC278886/1138636706_WxZmS-XL.jpg

Hope you like these. Comments etc welcome as always.

[Autumn]

They are extremely pretty birds and the images are excellent. I particularly like the last one with the berry in its beak.

[PeterD]

They are extremely pretty birds and the images are excellent. I particularly like the last one with the berry in its beak.

Thank you Audrey:).

I had to use ISO 800 for most of the shoot as the lighting conditions were, shall we say challenging. They moved very rapidly and the first few frames were discarded as they were blurred. Still, they were useful to establish the speed I needed.

[Ian]

These birds do indeed look very exotic - well caught!

Ian

[PeterD]

These birds do indeed look very exotic - well caught!

Ian

Thanks Ian:). For real colour and beauty, these have only one resident rival, the Goldfinch. The crest and colouring on these birds does make them something special. It is hard to believe they come from the north of Europe and not from the tropics.
They are spreading further west and south. You may even catch them yourself.
Look for shrubs bearing berries. In flight you may mistake them for Starlings with their pointed wings. But when landed, there can be no mistake:).

[Pops]

Beautiful indeed Peter and how lucky you are to have such a gathering.
Looks to me like the one in the 4th is however giving you a good telling off for intruding :)

[PeterD]

Beautiful indeed Peter and how lucky you are to have such a gathering.
Looks to me like the one in the 4th is however giving you a good telling off for intruding :)

Thank you Pops:).
A lady who lives near to the shrub invited me in to take some of these images from her balcony. I intend to give her a framed image by way of saying thank you. Which one would be good to give?

[Caz]

Thank you Pops:).
A lady who lives near to the shrub invited me in to take some of these images from her balcony. I intend to give her a framed image by way of saying thank you. Which one would be good to give?

That's going to be a difficult decision! Cracking shots, lucky you and thank you for sharing.

[PeterD]

That's going to be a difficult decision! Cracking shots, lucky you and thank you for sharing.

Thank you Carol for your kind comments:). Still leaves me to make a decision:\

[Barr1e]

Looks to me like the one in the 4th is however giving you a good telling off for intruding :)

:D I should think so too.

Thanks for these Peter - nice series.

Regards. Barr1e

[PeterD]

:D I should think so too.

Thanks for these Peter - nice series.

Regards. Barr1e

Thanks Barr1e:)