It's that time of year again. The 'Post-Christmas' depression has set in and it was not helped by the dull, grey, overcast weather this morning. The gloom was lifted by the sight of more Waxwings in the trees around Shipley Park. Indeed, there were around 60 or more and they seemed to be displaying a hitherto unseen characteristic. Instead of feasting in groups, on those berries which are still left, they were all sitting in the tree-tops in singles or pairs and flying out to catch insects mid-air before returning to their perches. The very mild weather was obviously responsible for there being enough insects to be bothered with, but the Waxwings were clearly very pleased with this unseasonal bounty. Strangely, they were all silent as they went about their food-gathering labours unlike when they are foraging for berries, when their silvery trilling is constant accompaniment.
Unfortunately, the Waxwings were too far away, too quick at flitting after insects and the weather too dull to capture any pictures, so here are a couple more from New Year's Day.
What little beauties they are!
Back home to get on with that most depressing of tasks, the taking-down of the Christmas decorations. Hey Ho, that's it for another year I suppose.
I wonder if the quality of the berries is, like other fruits and veg, poor this year? They eat insects in the summer so the mild weather is probably a welcome diversion for them with all the flying insects around. They've been around Kirk Hallam for a few days now but there are no berries anywhere.
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