Waxwings - Oct. 25th 2010 a day we'll always remember.

 Waxwing looking rather heroic.

Waxwing invasion at the Auld Haa House, Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
Bohemian Waxwings feeding just out side my window! What could be better than that?

Waxwings out my window on a rainy day like the day before...

Waxwings out my window on the stick I have to photograph and feed birds on this sunny day.

A flock of 12 to 16 Waxwings had been in my garden for a few days eating old apples, plums & cranberries I had stuck about on sticks and branches. The birds had gotten used to me taking photos of them from a few feet away from the other side of my windows where I had placed apples. Liz my wife was away in Shetland. Henry was home from school and I was enjoying the whole morning photographing the feeding birds. If only I could get this close with no window in the way? So I found the longest stick I could find... hello! this is Fair Isle? No trees! I got this one from a stock pile I have been collecting from sea shore, but it seemed a little short. I stuck 2 halves of an apple on the branch and had Henry stick it out the front door. The first few birds landed on the stick for the briefest of moments, but as soon as one started eating the others happily joined in.

The first Waxwing on the stick from the inside the front door looking out.

We could now move slowly out of the doorway and into the center of the garden. It was amazing...

The Waxwings had no fear of us and didn't mine us taking photos as long as we had apples.

  

Who's looking at who?

 to see birds like this...

The Waxwings eat till the apples fell off the stick.

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Stick in one hand, my camera in other.

Henry & the Bohemians

I had just put new apple on the stick for Henry to continue feeding. Then I picked up off the ground what was mostly just the skin of an fallen apple, they must of been drunk from the fermented apple juice or something because next thing I knew they were perching on my finger tips eating away. You can see the apple juice had stuck the feathers together on the birds neck as they would put their whole head in the apple skin to get every bit.

The Bird at Hand...

A bird in the hand is worth a thousand words.

Not to be out done, Henry gives it a try... but with 2 new apples halves?

Ouch!!! now what is he complaining about?

These are wild birds don't forget and some of the birds must of thought Henry's little finger tips were berries and gave him little nips! Henry was sort of crying with laughter in total awe; the birds didn't even fly away. They just turned their head and looked. I love the looks on the bird faces like they are wondering what's up with this kid?

Waxwing Juggling

Look at how he is now hiding his finger under his thumb so it doesn't get bitten again. Waxwings were in our garden for over a week, but they only came to our hands this one day. A total of 8 or 9 was the most Henry ever had at one time, and 39 was the peak garden count. Waxwings have been recorded all over Britain earlier and in greater numbers this Autumn. If you have any old fruit please put it out for the birds. The truth is on Fair Isle there is not much food left for migrating birds this time of year, and this is proof of that sometimes you'll do anything for a free meal.

It's not sunny everyday on Fair Isle...

Note the new ankle bracelet complements of the Fair Isle Bird Observatory. I took this photo through my window... I felt sorry for the birds being out there in that storm. If you look close, you can see the water droplets splashing of the birds back. I'm trying not to project human emotions on the facial expression of this bird, but what a look!

Henry & I took turns taking photos of each other... he's much cuter

That is a real Fair Isle knit hat! made on Fair Isle!

This will always be a sunny memory for us!

We are so glad that so many other people are enjoying & sharing these photos that I added more photos and info to the original post. If you click on the photos they get bigger. Cheers! Tommy & Henry

Comment box is full! for more Waxwing photos & more comment space see the next post...

http://fair-isle.blogspot.com/2010/11/hey-dad-this-is-like-fishing-for-birds.html