If we needed proof that this year will be a waxwing winter, we need look no further than this image.
Tommy Hyndman and his son Henry had spent the morning at their home on Fair Isle, looking at a beautiful flock of hungry Waxwings that had just arrived in the UK from Scandinavia and were feasting on fruit and berries.
Desperate to get a good photograph without the window pane, but not wanting to disturb the birds, Tommy found a long stick and stuck two halves of an apple on the branch and asked Henry to stick it outside the door.
Incredibly, the birds started landing on the stick and eating the fruit and they ate till the apples fell off the stick. Then picking up what was mostly just the skin, the birds flew on to Henry’s hands to continue feeding, occasionally mistaking his finger tips for berries and nipping them gently!
Tommy Hyndman says: “These are wild birds don’t forget and they gave Henry little nips! He was crying with laughter and awe, the birds didn’t even fly away. They just turned their head and looked as if to say what’s up with this kid?”
Waxwings are bold birds which don’t mind feeding close to humans and the RSPB is hoping that more people seeing the unusual birds will move them to help other migrant birds that may visit their gardens this winter and have a tough time in the cold weather.
And as waxwings feed on berries, the wildlife charity is also urging gardeners to avoid cutting any hedges with the last berries of autumn still on them until they have all been eaten.
They don’t breed in the UK, but are erratic winter visitors. When they come over in larger numbers, it is called an eruption, or ‘waxwing winter’ among nature lovers. They come to the UK when the population on its breeding grounds gets too big for the food available or their preferred food of berries dwindles.
Gemma Rogers, RSPB spokesperson says: “Fair Isle is likely to have been one of the first places waxwings stopped to refuel on berries when they hit UK shores, and they were likely very hungry as they stopped at the Hyndman’s after a several hundred mile journey.
“Not everyone will be lucky enough to see them quite THIS close but keep an eye open as you could see them anywhere, in places like supermarket car parks, shopping centres, local parks and RSPB nature reserves.”
To see more incredible images of the Hyndman’s and their European visitors visit http://fair-isle.blogspot.com
For more information about feeding birds in your garden visit www.rspb.org.uk
