Popped across to Bowthorpe, hoping for some better pictures of Waxwing. On arrival, a small group were watching the birds resting at distant in a tree. A lovely lady allowed me to look at them through her scope and I then decided to look for where they might feed. A wonderful bed of berries was found and I decided to sit and wait patiently for them to come over. After about 1/2 hour, literally freezing my...leg numb and oblivious to a pager message saying they were still present. A trill alerted me to their movements and one appeared in a nearby tree and the other four further away. I continued to wait, sat leaning on a lamp post(!), low to the ground, as hidden as possible, camera at the ready (waiting to be arrested!) in anticipation of their imminent arrival, didn't even bother with bins - then 'birders' started to arrive.
The first parked up by the end of the berries. After a while he got out and walked toward me, cigarette in hand, straight passed the line area of berries. I put my finger to my mouth and ushered him back, pointing to the tree. He continued walking toward me!
"They've come out on the pager, 'in such-n-such'," he stated. I pointed, again, to the tree, explaining where the birds were.
"Oh is that 'such-n-such' there, then?" he continued, "Been here since Wednesday, I think." Smoking away with an occasional smoker's cough. No 'thank you', or the like.
I wondered why he was more interested in Wednesday than the fact they were there for him to see!
I told him that I hoped they would come down to the berries in front of us and he mentioned he also wanted to get some pictures. So he then preceded to walk back to his car, again passed the berries. He got out his Leica scope and digiscoping equipment and returned again passed the berries to my side, where he proceeded to set up his scope at full height and in full view, with the sunlight glinting off his silver scope. "Was that another three?" he inquired, not bothering to look. "Yes," I responded (without my bins), "all five are in there now." He'd missed the other's arrival.
The birds didn't come down.
Then another car arrived and the sheep mentality began. They proceeded to park behind the first car, again directly next to the berries! Two people got out, standing on the pavement by the berries. They could see where 'we' were looking and proceeded to gesticulate avidly toward the tree. Most annoying, whilst they were there, two birds did come down right next to them, but never stayed long! Another car arrived and again parked right next to the berries, chatting as they got out wanting to know where the birds were! Three more people arrived to join the 'throng' watching the birds, standing directly in line to where they wanted to feed!
At this point with some choice inappropriate words, for which I apologise - although not for the sentiment - and left. After turning the car round, during which time the person standing next to me had joined the others creating a larger barrier between the birds and their food. I pulled over and as a parting shot mentioned that the birds might want to feed where they were all standing. To which I got the response,
"Well, we're leaving now!"
Norfolk Bird Info to:
E-mail: ruralchill@live.co.uk
Mobile: 07749779149
Norfolk 364 BOU, 376 UK400, Year 158, Route 108, Sp 76, SM 80, SF 36
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