Waxwings on O'Connell Street

Judgement Day · 17-01-2009 1:15am #1

Anybody hear yesterday's Mooney show on RTE radio? Apparently there are up to 60 Waxwings hanging about in the trees on O'Connell Street - at the Parnell monument end of the street. These rare Scandinavian visitors are worth making the trip to see - I still remember my first and only encounter with a small party of them in the early 1970's in Bray - and I would be off to see them tomorrow if it wasn't for babysitting. Go now or regret at your leisure.

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tertials · 17-01-2009 1:40pm

At the beginning of the week the waxwings were congregating in the large tree in the Rotunda grounds (beside the Ambassador) at the top of O'Connell Street - up to 100 were seen. Every so often they would fly down to eat the berries on trees opposite the Royal Dublin Hotel in the central reservation of O'Connell Street. Pedestrians were walking right underneath them, completely oblivious to the flocks of 30-40 gaudy and noisy waxwings gorging on berries a few feet above them.

As the week progressed small groups of waxwings began to use the trees further down (opposite the Savoy) and eventually I saw them down past Abbey Street.

I took some pics of them - see here:
http://wildlifesnaps.com/birds.php

T.

Amalgam · 17-01-2009 1:53pm

Tertials, the colours are so vibrant in your Waxwing photos, amazing.

tertials · 17-01-2009 2:19pm

Thanks - I took them on Tuesday last, the only day when the light was decent.

jaffa20 · 17-01-2009 2:22pm

Oh they look like amazing birds. Never seen them anywhere before.

Funkyzeit · 18-01-2009 12:17am

Brilliant photos!

stevensi · 19-01-2009 10:12am

Saw them on thursday afternoon (15-20 birds) opposite the GPO. A great sight and what made it even more entertaining was the fact every time they landed to feed on berries they were being mobbed by a mistle thrush. Amazing to see in the city centre.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 19-01-2009 1:50pm

Enjoy them while you can. Once the berry crop is exhausted they will move on to somewhere else.

stevensi · 19-01-2009 2:55pm

Talking of Waxwings, are they a bird that comes to Ireland every winter even in small numbers? The last time i did some was in early 06 but this year seems to have brought a massive number of them around the place.

donalglackin · 19-01-2009 5:19pm

i was on o'connel street today but couldnt see them i wandered towards the garden of remebrance as well to see is they might be around but again no sight . just wondering if anyone did see them today.

Covey · 19-01-2009 5:54pm

Yep, Six high up on the big tree outside the Rotunda at about 2pm. Waited half an hour before I saw any.

lostexpectation · 22-01-2009 7:40pm

any photos of them in the street rather then close ups

lostexpectation · 22-01-2009 7:52pm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91974309@N00/2952509188/
lol

Run_to_da_hills · 22-01-2009 8:44pm

lostexpectation wrote: »

any photos of them in the street rather then close ups

I'm sure if you ask the Garda surveillance deparetment nicely they may have some CCTV footage them on O Connell St.

You will loose focus quality of the birds if you try to get the archicture of Oconnell st in the picture.

Tabnabs · 29-03-2009 7:33pm

Apologies for dragging up an old thread, but we sighted numerous waxwings in the trees surrounding Blanchardstown SC yesterday, so they are still about.

doctor evil · 29-03-2009 7:46pm

I saw one of those in my garden (mount merrion area).

Judgement Day · 17-12-2009 9:50pm

And they're back again according to http://www.irishbirding.com with 21 sighted at Portballintrae, Co.Antrim on the 24th November; 1 sighted at Ranelagh on 26th November and another in Galway on the same date. Not quite an eruption of them yet but with a cold spell in Eastern Europe things are looking up for a repeat of winter 2008/09.

doctor evil · 19-12-2009 3:42pm

I sighted a few in Stepaside, Dublin yesterday.

Durnish · 20-12-2009 8:58am

oh, no, it's a great idea to get this thread back. We had a flock visiting our Belfast garden in February. Amazing things. They must be back with the arctic wind. Snow here today. Some species of European Rowan with bright red berries was the lure in our garden.

I shall keep a look out today. Thanks for heads up.

boneless · 22-12-2009 1:12pm

Posted this in the lapwing thread by mistake... going blind in my old age. Saw 19 in Ballycoolin yesterday.

fryup · 24-12-2009 12:14am

boneless wrote: »

Posted this in the lapwing thread by mistake...

did the same with my question:o

so i'll ask it again...can waxwings be seen in the west > co clare ?

Judgement Day · 24-12-2009 12:35am

Waxwings arrive in Ireland from northern Europe in late Autumn/Winter in search of berries (cotoneaster, rowan, elder etc) and seem to find sufficient to keep them mainly in Eastern counties. This year was a good year for Waxwing watchers as they were present in the country until late May and were back again in November. According to www.irishbirding.com a solitary individual was recorded at Ballyvaughan on the 17th Feb. last so maybe it will pay a return visit but I wouldn't hold my breath.

There's an interesting page on Waxwings here: http://www.wordwiz72.com/waxwing.html

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 24-12-2009 9:42am

Strangely Waxwings are found mostly in Urban areas. It seems to be the abundance of berries on ornamental trees and shrubs which they prefer. As the greater concentration of Urban/Suburban environs are on the East coast, and it's their first landfall, they are usually found there. Some make their way West but not usually in any great numbers.

Waxwings on O'Connell Street

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