Christmas Day dawned with beautiful clear blue skies and strong sunshine. So with an hour spare before the festivities kicked off I took the chance to have a look at Wykeham Lakes. Pretty quiet there with a drake Goldeneye and a few Tufted Ducks the only interest. Continuing around to the west side of the lakes, I paused for a smart male Brambling at Hutton Buscel Carr and enjoyed some nice views in the bright sunshine. A bit further along the road some greyish brown blobs in a bush attracted my attention and on raising my bins I realised they were in fact a flock of nine Waxwings. Always a treat they lingered long enough for me to get a few pics before they flew off towards Ings Bridge. An unexpected and very welcome treat on a Christmas morning.
Also from the Christmas period a pic of a Mediterranean Gull which as usual can be relied upon at the Holbeck car park on the south side of Scarborough. One of five birds present just before Christmas.