Scouting for Waxwings

It doesn't much better than this! This morning I dropped Jamie off at his scouts camp in Elm Park, about a mile and a half from home, as he is away for another weekend  away with then. I parked around the corner, packed him off an returned to the car. I started the ignition and was about to head off when, right in front of me, in an apple tree in a back garden, a single Waxwing. Turning off the car. I jumped out and noticed a man, the resident of the house, leaning out of his bedroom window.

"Waxwing", I mouthed and pointed
"Sorry?", the man said, cupping his ear
"A Waxwing, in the tree" I said
"I'll come down" he said.

And come down he did. I was invited in, where we stood in the garden for 15-20 minutes, admiring the Waxwing, talking about birds, no more the 8 feet from the bird, which was continuously feeding on some of the biggest apples I have ever seen! Also present a male Blackcap.

I had no camera or binoculars, but luckily the man kindly said  could come back later. I popped home, had a bite of lunch and went back. The bird was still there but unfortunately the man wasn't. I popped into the garden for a few minutes and got a few shots, but the bird had moved from the closest apple out in the open to a more obscured fruit. I rattled off a few shots and left.
 

The apples really were the size of grapefruits! 

   
Later, I went back again with Shaun. This time the man was in, but the bird had gone. We had a quick drive round other local sites, Berwick Reservoir where the Ross' Goose was still present and a Buzzard overhead; passed a frozen Berwick Pond (I'll check that out for Bittern tomorrow). No sign of Little Owl at any of the not-so regular sites, onto Stubbers where there were hardly any birds on the water but many Fieldfare and Mistle Thrush, and another Buzzard perched in a tree. Ad that was that. Had planned no birding today, and have thoroughly enjoyed finding the Waxwing and  being invited into the garden etc. I'll check it again tomorrow.