Waxwing

Waxwing invasions are memorable events but as the birds can be extremely mobile and flock sizes can change from hour to hour and turn up anywhere with suitable berries, they can be very difficult to count. A particularly large invasion in 1965-66 was reported by Lorand and Atkin (1989) when Waxwings were reported from all over the county and there was thought to be 500-1000 in the Louth area alone by November 1965. During the 1980s-1990s the Atlas reported that the largest single invasion involved some 1,300 birds in January-April 1996. In the last 10 years to 2018 the maximum flock size reported in LBR each year ranged from one in 2014 to 400 in 2012. The year 2012 was probably the biggest invasion of the county in the 21st century so far. Burton Stather had 400 birds on December 18th-19th and the highest day count across sites was 691 on December 9th. It is thought upwards of 3,800 birds passed through. The second biggest year in that 10-year period was 2011 in which a total of 1,740 birds was reported in January with 150 in Bourne on Jan 1st-3rd. Discounting the extremes, in an average year the biggest flock size reported is around 50 birds.

Surprisingly few birds have been ringed in the county but a 1CY bird ringed in Kexby in April 2009 was retrapped in Tulliniemi, Finland in November 2011.