Wax On, Wax Off.
With a day off Friday, and beautiful weather, I set out hunting for Pine Grosbeak. There has been a major push of them in Scandinavia, but here in the rest of the Nordics we have seen nothing like those numbers. there is always a few this time of year, however, though they can be few and far between.
With two up the road on Lauttasaari, I decided to first try my luck at digging out my own in Masala, before moving on to try and connect with the two birds in Helsinki.
My first stop was at a housing estate in Masala, laden with Rowan berries. The crop has been excellent this autumn and there have been huge numbers of Waxwings. I have been noticing where flocks of them have been frequenting, hoping they would attract in some grosbeaks.
A small flock of some twenty birds was here, along with good numbers of Blackbirds and Fieldfare, and 3 late Common Starling.
Well marked female Blackbird. There seems to be a greater tendency towards what I call "Hepatic" Blackbirds here than back in Ireland. (You know..the type certain Irish "gurus" can't differentiate from Naumann's Thrushes.)
Indeed, sometimes I've seen them even more rufous than this.
Here I had no trouble finding flocks of Waxwing, and a few lingering Redwing.
Waxwing - a species I've gotten quite used to, but still can't bring myself to take for granted.
Waxwings tend to move through in Spring and Autumn, making use of whatever food is available, be it insects, fruit (apples) or berries. They only stay the winter if the Rowan crop is good. Furthermore, I've noticed their presence then depends on whether the Thrushes have left. If it has been exceptionally mild, large numbers of Blackbirds, Redwing and Fieldfare can devastate the Rowan crop in a short period, leaving nothing for Waxwings to sustain themselves, meaning they too push onwards.
The full Elvis effect
Waxwing is one of those species with lots going on. Apart from those fabulous wings, that incredible ochre colour on the forehead and face, contrasting with that black mask and white gape line.
That fantastic dipped in mustard tail.
The variation in shade across the upperparts, brown to smokey grey.
Those waxy drops from which they get their name.
That incredible red undertail
On to Lauttasaari, where the Grosbeaks gave me the run around, avoiding any previous location that had held them.
I was lucky with two flyover Two-Barred Crossbill, however, tooting and shipping their way over the bird tower.
Lots of Fieldfare, Blackbirds and Bullfinch were devouring the various Rowan groves, but the Grosbeaks never played ball.
1st winter Fieldfare - an exquisitely marked species at this age when you take the time to appreciate them.
Perhaps next week the Grosbeaks will be in greater numbers.
Comments
Post a Comment