Waxwings at Alvecote Pools

It was grande to get down to the long neglected patch this evening after work, especially after a hectic weekend of birding in foreign Counties. The extra hour of daylight meant that I could scour the place for some early migrants, hopefully a couple of Sand Martin or maybe a Little Ringed Plover. The highlights though turned out to be a couple of species you would usually associate with winter. Firstly a single Fieldfare 'chacked' from atop a willow at Gilman's Pool. Secondly, whilst chatting to Mal Scott on Mill Pool Bank a flock of chunky passerines flew towards us and skimmed our heads. Despite receiving a good blinding by the early evening sun as they flew over, their excited calls gave them away as a group of 27 Waxwings. Unfortunately they failed to linger and flew off in a south-westerly direction. This constituted a well deserved 'patch tick' for the Warwickshire side of the reserve.

Other highlights included 8 Shelduck and 2 male Shoveler on Mill Pool whilst over the road at Gilman's Pool a Chiffchaff sang and 2 Willow Tits were spotted around the feeders.