Christmas Shopping (Birding)

Today Miriam and I went Xmas Shopping, but with a twist. We headed over to Otter Nurseries near Ottery St Mary to pick up a few Christmas presents and to also have lunch at Joshua's Harvest Store.
I had a ulterior motive for going in this direction though as Waxwings had been reported in Exmouth and Exeter recently. I had set my phone for Birdguide messages and whilst we were having lunch a message came through to say that there were 7 Waxwings in Exeter on Wonford Road. All good so far.
We finished our shopping and got back to the car. I wanted to pay a quick visit to the Aquatics shop further down the road and parking the car noticed this buzzard over the hedge.

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

We now headed into Exeter and twenty minutes later had located the Waxwing flock except there were now 14 of these cracking birds giving their trilling calls perched 10-12 feet above our heads.

I fired off around a hundred shots until the light started to go and I reluctantly dragged myself away and back to the car. I later learned that after about twenty minutes the whole flock flew off.

We now decided to call in at Darts Farm at Topsham, one of my favourite places  because of this .....

One of the best stocked bottled ale shops in the west country. I must have been feeling flushed with success because I bought this at £11.00 a bottle, you heard me £11.00

I've been waiting to get my hands on a bottle of this for ages. It's called Fusion and at 8% is a fusion of young and old, grain and fruit. Blended vintage old ale and matured in Somerset Cider Brandy barrels.

Think I might save it for Christmas !