Author Topic: Local Wildlife  (Read 527662 times)

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Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #780 on: November 10, 2012, 05:28:50 pm »
That's a lovely photo Jack and I'm sure that my friend Tellytubby will be down there soon with his camera.   :)     When we were in Ruthin he showed me another spot where  loads of Waxwings go to feed on the Rowans and other trees.     $good$

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #781 on: November 10, 2012, 05:31:01 pm »
Tellytubby's quick off the mark and beat me to it while I was posting my note.    ;D


Offline Gwynant

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #782 on: November 10, 2012, 07:52:43 pm »
           When I  used to work in the old ASDA (where Debenhams/BHS is now, pre. 2003), round about this time of year many birdwatchers would turn up on the car park occasionally (where the re-cycling area was, by the traffic lights) with huge lenses to photograph one or two waxwings in the trees around Wthe Fire Station/Car Wash area across the road, so is it right to assume that this area is on their regular migration route, and they return to this area instinctively?

Offline Jack

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #783 on: November 10, 2012, 08:10:50 pm »
Hi Gwynant, the only other time I have seen waxwings was in the B&Q car park 2 years ago! they love the berries of the rowan trees that are in the carparks.

I don't think they are regular migrants but if there is a particular cold spell in Scandinavia or there is a berry shortage they come to the UK in numbers.  Most are seen on the East coast (as its nearer Scandinavia!) but this year there are thousands of them already all over Britain.  If you are on Twitter you can follow @waxwingsuk who tweet (quite apt!!) the most up to date sightings of waxwings in the UK.  As well as Llandudno waxwings have been sighted in Kinmel Bay, Denbigh and Deeside today in North Wales alone.  Guess they could turn up anywhere there are berries so its worth keeping an eye out in the garden too!

Offline Yorkie

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #784 on: November 10, 2012, 08:16:57 pm »
I planted a small rowan sapling in my garden last year but it seems rather slow in getting itself going.   It is only about two feet tall so it will be a while before I see a waxwing in my garden!   :D
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Offline Gwynant

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #785 on: November 10, 2012, 11:08:55 pm »
            $thanx$  Thanks very much  for that info Jack. I am not a keen birdwatcher myself but I have a couple of friends who are so I will pass on the info. I was just curious as to why they returned to the same spot always.  $good$

Offline TheMedz

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #786 on: November 12, 2012, 11:35:40 am »
About 50 or 60 Waxwings still around B&Q and DFS  this morning

Offline Gwynant

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #787 on: November 12, 2012, 03:19:55 pm »
           My neighbour just dropped in to point out a tree-ful of waxwings (60-70) in a rowan tree loaded with berries on the junction of Lon Gwalia and Lon Cymru (Llandudno) which could be clearly seen from my back garden. Of course as soon as I went back for my camera they flew off in the direction of Champneys, but they looked very impressive through his powerful binocs. He says that they have been returning there regularly in the past few days.
                                                                      :rage:

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #788 on: November 12, 2012, 06:08:11 pm »
It must be a wonderful sight to see so many Waxwings together so have your camera ready Gwynant.      ££$

Offline TheMedz

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #789 on: November 12, 2012, 08:16:17 pm »
The one tree on the corner of the B&Q car park was just full of them at one stage.

Offline snowcap

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #790 on: November 12, 2012, 11:07:01 pm »
drove past at about 12,30pm there was a man taking photo's of the birds in the trees then,any of you chaps?

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #791 on: November 14, 2012, 04:45:53 pm »
I went past B & Q this afternoon but couldn't see any sign of the Waxwings but it must have been a lovely sight for those that were lucky enough to have seen them.
Over the last three days I've not seen sight or sound of any small birds in our garden and although the feeders have all been full only crows and Squirrels have been near them.    I've seen a male and female Sparrowhawk in the garden about 6 times and am concerned that this may have frightened the smaller ones off.     :(

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #792 on: November 16, 2012, 03:32:27 pm »
There have been some lovely photos of the waxwings on the Forum.  Thanks to everyone who's posted them as it's likely to be the closest I'll get to seeing them.

I've been to see some slightly larger wildlife.  There are now four ponies at the Maes y Facrell nature reserve on the Great Orme, doing their winter grazing job.  The ponies are very friendly, so there was no problem getting close enough to photograph them without a long lens - more of a problem getting far enough away to fit them into even a wide angle! 

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #793 on: November 26, 2012, 06:37:54 pm »
Tellytubby took these photos of the Desert Wheatear on Rhyl Promenade by the Golf Course yesterday.    They are a rare visitor to the UK and Tellytubby said that there are only 3 in the UK at present.
He was lucky to get the photos as there were numerous twitchers trying to do the same thing.    $good$

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #794 on: November 26, 2012, 07:49:16 pm »
Those are sweet, Hugo, congratulations to Tellytubby!  &well&

I must admit that I wouldn't have known that it was a rare bird.