If you have, then you are one of the lucky few this winter and the British Trust for Ornithology wants to hear from you. Waxwings are stunning winter visitors from Scandinavia and Russia. Arriving here in late autumn in search of berries they may appear in gardens and supermarket car parks. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch Survey needs your help to find out which gardens they are visiting and where.Each winter, varying numbers of Waxwings descend on our shores looking for berries. In some years they appear in their thousands, adding a touch of colour to dull winter days. This year seems to be relatively poor for them but the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch Survey really needs garden owners around the country to become 'Waxwing Watchers' and report their sightings so we can find out where they have been visiting and in what numbers.
Martin Fowlie, of the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch Team, said "We want garden owners around the country to tell us whether they have any visiting Waxwings this winter. Hearing from people who don't have Waxwings is just as important as hearing from those that do, so we can build up an accurate picture of where these birds are. Waxwings are very distinctive birds, about the size of a Starling, with a brown crest and bright red, wax-like, tips to some of their wing feathers, hence their name."To be part of the ‘Waxwing Watch’ and to receive a free information pack, phone on 01842 750050 or write to Waxwing Watch, Garden Bird Watch, British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU.