I passed on my way to work last Thursday morning at 6:50 am and they were in the usual place.

No sign since the 10th March Robin.

Does anyone know of they are still about, I was thinking about taking a trip up to Bolton this afternoon?

had a quick look this morning, none showing between 915 and 10am, reported as still present on birdguides early morning

Gone by 1pm...

Still present 12:20 atleast by Topps tiles.

Info thanks to Andy Makin

9 still there today and showing well

Excellent, good news, 7th visit, i am very happy you got to see them after all the trips, lucky number 7, nice to meet you again too, best wishes Dennis

Alan Warford wrote:

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Can only agree Dennis, I finally caught up with them today on my 7th visit.
Nice to meet you again on sunday after our recent soiree at the Cutacre Shorelark.

-- Edited by Alan Warford on Monday 8th of March 2010 07:44:53 PM

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Hi Pete, yes it was me in the red Focus. Nice to meet you. Simon suspects they may roost in the thick conifers near church.

Alan you were probably the chap (in red car) I was talking to?

After I left you I went to Asda to get my tea. Got back about 5pm I could not see them in the trees anymore but could hear them making that strange noise they make. So its a fair bet they are roosting there and a trip first thing could be a success.

However they tend to please themselves what they do but a reasonable chance first thing I would think.

Can only agree Dennis, I finally caught up with them today on my 7th visit.
Nice to meet you again on sunday after our recent soiree at the Cutacre Shorelark.

-- Edited by Alan Warford on Monday 8th of March 2010 07:44:53 PM

What happened to them on sunday? around thirty people turned up sunday at different times of the day and no one saw them at all, gutted,


we should of all come on monday instead, unsocialable birds not showing themselves for all the visitors, a few came a small distance to see them aswell, Ah well, all part of the fun of birding

8 Waxwings still at Astley Bridge at 4-30 pm in grounds of St Pauls church behind Topps Tiles, showing well in tree tops.

8 Waxings showing well at TOPPS TILES 10.45-11.30 am. still there when I left.

.... perched mainly on the trees down the side of Topps, in sunshine.
but feeding on the berry bushes now and again.

.....also seen by John Parkinson, 2 photographers, and a few others.

-- Edited by keith mills on Monday 8th of March 2010 11:53:40 AM

well i was wrong, the early bird did not get the worm, a very stubborn mooch today to get photographs and no waxwings at all from 6.30 till 2 o clock when i finally gave up, lots of people also passing through but not a sausage, also checked around asda and in cemetary but no joy, maybe the sunny day pushed them back towards home direction?

Hello to all i met today

Nice to meet you phil, stayed a further hour after 740 and they did not come back, it looks like the best time is early for these birds, the early bird gets the worm

9 Waxwings by Topps tiles at 3.15.

Cheers Dean.

Cheers for that Keith, I was one of the 2 birders you told. Had good views of the birds and they were still present at 12.30 when I left. The cemetary is behind Asda, entrance on Eden Street.
Cheers Ian

Two Waxwings in Astley Bridge cemetery at 12 am.
good views of the two perched on top of high trees near entrance
sometimes moving from one tree to another.

Prevously spent a fruitless hour at Range/Topps with other birders there including Andy Makin And Tony, who left.
Told two more birders at Asda.

-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 6th of March 2010 12:37:10 PM

9 this morning between 06:45 and 07:40 when they flew off towards ASDA. Nice to meet Dennis Atherton there.

Phil

-- Edited by Phil Hampson on Saturday 6th of March 2010 08:59:15 AM

l and a few other birders saw nine birds today, between 10 and 11am today

Great views near Topps Tiles and further down the side road where the church is, a kind Phil Kelly (hope that name is right?) showed me closer views through his scope.
Later on l went past again and met another couple of birders who hadn't seen them ...it was approx' 2pm

-- Edited by Melanie Beckford on Saturday 6th of March 2010 09:52:22 AM

Anne Wilkinson wrote:

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I've been 2 days running and seen nothing apart from 5 LT tits flying through.

I think there's just too much disturbance on that car park/street after mid-morning.

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My 2nd visit also 4.00pm today and also drew a blank, once again.
Might try 1st thing tomorrow morning.
Cheers Ian
.......................
Having just read the post about waxwings in Bury I'll go look for those tomorrow after a trip round Elton

-- Edited by Ian Campbell on Friday 5th of March 2010 05:35:12 PM

I've been 2 days running and seen nothing apart from 5 LT tits flying through.

I think there's just too much disturbance on that car park/street after mid-morning.

9 Waxwings still by Topps tiles 7.45am at least and showing rather well.

8 Waxwing still present by Range at 12:30.

Info thanks to Jon Taverner

Now 9 Waxwings still 7.30am

No sign of Waxwings 16-30 till 17-30 Range/Topps Tiles car park area.
Nice to meet Rob and Judith.

No sign of any in the area at 4.00pm today
Cheers Ian

Still 7 birds present, feeding on the berries by the side of Topps Tiles car park, until 1.30 pm, when they flew off in the direction of Asda. There are plenty of berries left to keep them there for a few days yet.

I popped in to see them on my way to work (about 7.15) and managed to get a few photos - not sure how they'll come out though as it wasn't fully light. Another bogey bird ticked off!

7 Waxwings in Range car park 0740 sat in tall silver birch.
info from Simon Warford

-- Edited by Alan Warford on Wednesday 3rd of March 2010 08:35:23 AM

7 Waxwings 7.05 this morning topps tile end of car park

-- Edited by steve ashworth on Wednesday 3rd of March 2010 10:00:40 AM

-- Edited by steve ashworth on Wednesday 3rd of March 2010 03:24:27 PM

i had an very over optimistic mooch at seven tonight in the dark on the range and asda but no joy, ah well god loves a tryer, thats the thing with birding, you just never know

4 Waxwings dropped into the Range car park for a minute or so at 4.35 then flew up into the tree top to the left of the church spire. At 4.40 they flew high to the right, overflying ASDA. They were at a speed and height to suggest they were not dropping in to feed at ASDA.

Cheers, John

Popped up after work at 5.30. No Sign at Asda or grange.

Must have missed you Simon. Tried to locate the Waxwings from 12.30 to 1.30, including surrounding streets and Asda, but no luck.

No sign 12.30-1pm, after I left Riggers spoke to a resident who lives next to the berry bush and the birds may have been present up to 2 weeks, initially 3 were present then joined by another 3 then another 2, also they seem to only appear mid morning and mid/late afternoon, so must be another food source nearby, the berries by ASDA where they were last year havent been touched.

7-8 Waxwings in the car park of The Range warehouse at Astley Bridge. This is the other side of the lights from ASDA where they often have been in pervious years, but still on the ring road round Bolton. Thanks to Frank Obertelli.