With winter on its way out it's worth reflecting on the absence of a stunning winter migrant that didn't make it in any numbers to our shores this year .......

The arrival and number of winter Waxwings gracing our shores annually are dependent on many factors, the main one being the success of the berry harvest in their northern homelands.

Here in Northamptonshire the only heavily reported presence was a single bird in Corby, possibly the most photographed Waxwing in the country !.

What a difference to the winter of 2012 when flocks of one hundred plus were regularly seen in urban environments, funnily enough seeming to favour supermarket car parks with berry laden shrubs like cotoneaster.

This image was taken at Peterborough in 2012,  a veritable Christmas tree decked out with festive baubles.