Waxwings, Blackburn

Waxwings have been very hard to come by this winter, in stark contrast to the large invasion of 2012/13, so today on my way home from Cumbria I called in at Blackburn, to have a look for four birds which have been on a town centre car park in Mincing Lane.

The weather was pretty awful while I was there, with dark skies and heavy hail showers, and the birds weren't easy to photograph. However, just as I was about to give up, a cracking male perched up high in a tree with a dark sky for background and allowed me to fire off a few half decent shots.

Also today I flushed a Jack Snipe in Cumbria.

Year 149: (Waxwing, Jack Snipe)

Even by Waxwing standards, this is a stunning male.