Waxwing success

After yesterdays effort, we returned today better prepared for catching the waxwings, taking with us extendable metal poles instead of bamboos. The waxwings had moved slightly from yesterday but thankfully they'd moved to Will's back garden, so no problems in relocating them. They were in the top of a tall ash in his garden and were going down to feed on a roadside bush on the next street over. Parked cars, passing traffic, high feeding waxwings, psycho-cat and numerous members of the public enquiring what we were doing made it some of the most challenging ringing we'd ever done, however we succeeded in catching 7 out of the maximum of 40 present.

Holding one 6 section pole in the road and the in the corner of someone's garden we managed to keep the net high enough for passers by to walk underneath and just about catch 7 of the 40 waxwings.

Psycho-cat : While extracting a waxwing this evil cat suddenly ran up my body and launched off my face at the waxwing, thankfully I managed to block it from the waxwing, though got a bleeding lip where its claws ripped into my face. It then tried it again and I had to pretty much throw it off my neck! A house owner thankfully new the owner and they took it inside for the rest of the time we were there. Lets hope the waxwings don't spend too much time in this area