Waxwing lyrical part 28 - thank you for the support

I have received support from a quite few people since my last post. This was also helped by a report on the Greater Manchester birding website saying that I may have to reduce or cease feeding due to the cost. A few people have kindly sent or given me cash donations towards the apples and others have brought a few bags of apples. This will allow me to carry on feeding the birds into next week without breaking the bank. A big thank you to you all.

This help has come from birders, photographers, ringers and people from neighbourhood and includes one or two people that haven't even had chance to come and see the birds. Waxwings seem to have an effect on people unlike any other bird, people just love watching them and having them around. For many people these have been the first Waxwings they have ever seen and many have said it is the bird they have always wanted to see. For others it has been the biggest flock of Waxwings they have seen or the best views they have ever had. When I am up the ladder putting out the apples I often get a thumbs up, a smile or a wave from people walking or driving by.

Anyway what does 22kg of apples look like when deployed in the trees. Just over half go in the trees in the front garden but the feeding also overflows into the trees in the edge of the park across the road and into the tree behind my neighbours house so I couldn't capture it all in one photo.

This is just over half of what it takes to feed 150+ Waxwings for one day. The apples on the lawn are pieces that have fallen to the ground under the feeding trees. These are collected and sorted each day with soiled pieces being washed before being placed in the middle of the lawn. Any pieces that are too rotten are removed.

Here is part of the view above with a few Waxwings.

This is the main feeding tree with quite a few Waxwings in it this morning.
Two or three apple halves are pushed on some branch ends to try and make
 sure there is enough to last the day.

The pictures above don't really give you a good view of the Waxwings so I will break my own rules and show you a picture from a few days ago. I like this shot because it gives some context.

Drive by Waxwings.

The lengthening days means the Waxwings are feeding until around 7:15 now so I can't start putting the apples out until the last birds have gone. That usually means it is gone 9:00pm before I am finished. If they are still here into next month I am in for some late nights up the ladder.