With Waxwings being reported from almost everywhere now Rob Cross and I decided to try again after missing them by only seconds last week (they flew off as we parked).

Today we decided to bite the bullet and drive to Bristol despite the appalling light conditions. Tesco's car park was our destination as they had been seen the previous afternoon. Travelling along the M5 Rob checked BG and found that 14 birds had just been reported in Weston super-mare, we were 20 minutes away so a quick adjustment of the sat nav and we were on our way. We pulled up outside the location and immediately spotted the birds on a TV ariel, so we started to take out our cameras when they flew over our heads not to be seen again, exactly the same as last week only a different location.

Feeling rather despondent we carried on to our original destination, Tesco's in Bristol. We arrived about 30 minutes later and after a drive around the car park we noticed cameras on tripods, which to be honest looked a bit strange beside the trolley park but it didnt stop me from putting mine up as well. The light was appalling and it was freezing cold with a biting wind but we waited patiently until we had about a dozen in front of us but the light was so bad shots were virtually impossible. We stood in the same place for hours as the birds would land for a few seconds at a time, 30 seconds max before flying to settle high in a tree a few hundred yards away. The numbers increased throughout the day with visits back to the trees coming very 15-30 minutes. By the time we left there were 47 birds, unfortunately the light never improved much and when it did the birds were never in front of us, we did however manage a few shots although I am sure if we get another chance in better conditions the shots will be far better.

An added bonus was a single fieldfare which decided it wanted some of the berries before they all disappeared. 

Quite a satisfying day as this was my first close views of these fabulous looking birds, I am pretty suresome of the local shoppers were a little confused seeing men in camouflage jackets and trousers lurking between the cars carrying cameras and tripods .......I'm sure better shots will come another time, but these were a good starting point.Waxwing