Santa isn't Sligo's only visitor from Lapland this winter
This waxling was pictured by MÌcheal Casey BirdWatch Sligo at Ardtrasna, Ballinfull.
Wednesday December 24 2008
The Sligo branch of BirdWatch Ireland is appealing to the public for sightings of Waxwings this winter. These colourful birds are about the size of a starling, and although mostly greyish-buff in colour, their prominent cockatoo-like crest, bright yellow, white and red wing markings and tinkling bell-like calls are very distinctive.
Indeed the red wax-like tips on some of the wing feathers give the species its common name, while it is also referred to as the Bohemian Waxwing because of the tendency of wintering flocks to roam around in search of food.
These birds breed in northern Sweden, Finland (including Lapland!) and Russia, and normally winter in their breeding grounds, or move relatively short distances south, to northern & central Europe.
In some winters, such as this one, a combination of a poor berry crop in northern Europe and a good breeding season results in a large hungry population of Waxwings.
Although they are usually very rare here, in some years they reach Ireland in significant numbers.
The qaxwing's mobile habits make it very difficult to estimate their numbers in the county at the moment, so BirdWatch Ireland's Sligo volunteers are appealing for the public's assistance in identifying the areas where Sligo's wintering flocks are locatedWaxwings were first seen in Sligo Town on the December 1st when two were seen in a garden at Oakpark.
Since then, flocks of 20 - 40 waxwings have been seen at Ardtrasna, Ballinfull and at Ballydrehid, Ballisodare in the past couple of weeks, and it is likely that there are other flocks and groups around the county.
The massive crops of haws in Sligo's Hawthorn hedgerows seems to be their favourite diet at the moment, and all sightings so far have been in rural areas.
It is very likely that as the winter progresses, the berry crop in the countryside will become exhausted and the birds will then switch their attention to the berries of ornamental shrubs in gardens and parks. These birds are often very tame as they breed in remote areas where they have little or no human contact, and no reason to fear man.
"Waxwings are a superb species to study and very entertaining to watch," said BirdWatch Sligo chairman, Martin Enright
"We monitor the numbers of wildfowl and waders in Sligo every winter, and we hope to keep tabs on these charismatic visitors this winter as it looks like it might be a record year.
"We also hope to ring some of the wintering birds under licence before they leave us so that we may be able to trace where they have come from," he said.
Further photos of Waxwings may be seen on the BirdWatch Sligo website at http://www.sligobirding.com. Sightings of Waxwings (or of any rare or interesting wild birds seen in Co. Sligo) can be e-mailed to BirdWatch Sligo at sightings@sligobirding.com .
