Waxwings are visitors to the British Isles during winter months, arriving from October until April. Numbers and dates vary annually and in some winters few birds appear but in others thousands arrive. They breed in the northern boreal forests of Scandinavia and Russia and if the annual crop of berries is low they will fly south to new feeding grounds in Britain and other European countries. Usually, most of the waxwings which come to Britain are found in Scotland. If there is an influx from Scandinavia, the quantity and variety of the available berries attract the birds and flocks of over 1000 have been recorded in the Aberdeen area. However, significant numbers have not arrived since 2016-2017 and before that the previous large arrival was in 2012-2013.

The birds are impressive: with a large crest, black eye liner, bright flashes of yellow on the tips of their tail feathers and red flashes to the tips of their secondary wing feathers, they are generally considered to be one of the most beautiful birds seen in the British Isles. Their striking plumage, distinctive call and confiding nature, feeding on berries in urban areas, make watching and photographing them a memorable experience.

In late 2023 flocks of over 500 waxwings were reported in Scotland and by November the largest group seen in England was 60 birds in North Yorkshire, with sightings as far south as Essex. In January 2024 I was delighted to be able to photograph a small group of waxwings in Corby in Northamptonshire where they were feeding on rowen berries.