Arctic Trill

Today saw the arrival of more superb Waxwings which trilled over the Island & many filtered down to the Obs plantation in still, cool conditions this morning. With various trapping devices set up (thanks to Phil) & the shop cleaned out of apples, it was not long before the ringers amongst us were enjoying a good number of these birds in the hand - the days ringing total reached a very respectable 23! There must have been around 40+ Waxwing overall with a dozen or so at the Haa in the south. All these birds have been extremely confiding & have even been coming down to apples in the hand!

I went South after breakfast & reconnected with the Arctic Redpoll which was at the shop & then the School briefly where I obtained a few more pleasing pics. Alan Bull & Mark Newell left on the afternoon plane after their Autumn visit :-( & Simon returned from his day trip to the hospital following his fall during 'rough dancing' at the end of season/H&D retirement party. He has broken his foot in 3 places! Nasty! & is now sporting a very clean white cast which is crying out for graffiti - tomorrow if the Waxwings are about we will place Simon outside with an apple skewered on his big toe for the Waxwings to devour, I'm sure we'll have a Jackson Pollock masterpiece in no time! Talking of masterpieces I am now the proud owner of a Jack Ashton-Booth after he kindly drew me a cracking ittle Radde's Warbler following my find earlier this month - to see some of this talented, up & coming artists work please click on Jack Ashton-Booth's blog title from my list of blogs! I think Jack will have a busy Winter with various commissions he has recently taken on!

The other event of the day was that my 200-400mm VR Nikon which has rarely leaves my side these days has broken whilst photographing the Waxwings. The AF motor drive has bust meaning I can now only manually focus! Not good! But at least it's happened in the last third of the trip & not at the beginning!