Southport Waxwing Hunt, 11th November 2012

We go to a different Remembrance Service every year, and this year it was Southport’s turn. We enjoyed the playing of the brass band, but the laying of wreaths was a rather long drawn-out process, especially on such a cold day.  But at least it was dry and bright. One poppy posy was for “Women and children victims of conflict and war”.

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We found a spot in the sunshine by the Marine Lake for lunch and watched four male Mute Swans displaying at each other.

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One swan had a leg ring which JC noted for passing on to Sabena. There were lots of Black-headed Gulls and Herring Gulls around, mostly juveniles.

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They gathered around hoping for crumbs from our sandwiches, and we noticed that one BHG appeared to be wearing a BTO leg ring. Just as we were getting the binoculars on it, a dog walker came along and scattered them, and we couldn’t locate it again. There were also some Mallards and Coots, and one Cormorant on the island.

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We were bemused by a set of fingerposts, promising cycling, swans and lobsters!

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On our way back through the town we were happy to see a good display of seaside paraphernalia fluttering bravely in the cold.

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There are Waxwings about, so we set off to see if the 40-odd reported on Thursday and Friday at Blundell Drive were still there. Regrettably, they weren’t. There were about half a dozen ornamental berry trees along the street, which had been stripped bare, and although we waited around  for a while and watched the skies, there was no clue to where they had flown off to when their berries ran out.

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We walked back to Hillside station through the suburban streets, spotting Goldfinches, Jackdaws and a Jay. There were plenty of other red berries around, also Privet and Ivy berries and a spectacular glowing beech hedge.

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