Waxwings West Thurrock Essex - Happy New Year!

There's no better hangover cure than a flock of Waxwings showing down to 6-8 feet just 20 minutes from home. Shaun and his 11 year old nephew, George, joined me for an 8am start at Lakeside retail park, well before the masses of shoppers would arrive. We arrived in poor light but found a flock of 20 Waxwings immediately in the car park of Costco. The birds were pretty mobile but with patience we got a few half decent shots, baring in mind the light.

After a short while they were up and off into the distance. Over 100 had been reported the previous day so we set off to find the rest. We drove around for 20 minutes before finding a larger flock of 70 in Grays. We spent the best part of the next 2 hours finding and photographing birds at a number of sites in no more than a square 1/2 mile.

After around 3 hours enjoying the birds, we headed home, in time for lunch. What a cracking way to start off the 2013 birding calendar!!