Tuesday 9 December 2008

Waxwings

a flock of waxwings
flutters on the school roof -
people rush by.

I was very excited yesterday morning to see at least 50 waxwings just down the road from where we live. This autumn, I'd seen the berries on the trees outside the school and thought that if we were lucky they would tempt the waxwings. Waxwings only come to Edinburgh every few years but they come in large numbers. You can read my poem about their last visit here.

You can read my most recent contribution to Winter haiku here.
Remember you can take part in my book giveaway here.

13 comments:

Rachel Green said...

Lovely.

I've never seen one.

Dave King said...

I was only thinking yesterday that it is a very long time since I saw one.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you’ve seen the legendary Edinburgh waxwings! I hope they were as exotic-looking in real life as they are in photographs. I’ll write another message here if I happen to cross their path, but I get the impression it’s just down to chance: either you see a big flock of waxwings suddenly, or you don’t see them at all. They weren’t still around at the same spot later, were they? If so, I’d ask you where it was, but then again I wouldn’t want to turn into a twitcher by going there specially!

Crafty Green Poet said...

leatherdyke - i think you're too far to the west to have a good chance of seeign them, they're east coast birds when they're here...

Dave - its all down to chance...

Goebnik - Dalry primary School, but no they weren't still there. A few years ago i saw them on several occasions at the West End, in front of St Johns and in St Cuthberts churchyard, that year i heard they were also seen in the Meadows...

Crafty Green Poet said...

Golebnik - and yes they are as exotic in real life as they are in photos...

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Yes, same behavior here too, some years nothing and then LOTS, eating everything they can.

Anonymous said...

What a pretty looking bird! No chance of seeing them, where I'm at :(

Anonymous said...

That's a very handsome bird. It must have been pretty exciting to see so many of them.

Anonymous said...

We see waxwings like that here. Once, on a mountain ash (rowan) tree in the parking lot of LL Beans!

Lucy said...

I've always wanted to see a waxwing, and in numbers would be even better!

Heather Robinson said...

I've always been a great lover of waxwings but we see them so rarely here in Canada. Like you, I think of them when I see red berries. They get drunk on them as the berries ferment! Your poem captures their essence so beautifully.

Mistlethrush said...

Doooh all you folks we keep seeing waxwings are making me a tad envious!
50 ehh? I'd settle for 2 right now!

Anonymous said...

I love reading about waxwings and foxes and tits!