Alan Harris Cedar Waxwing in Shetland: new to the Western Palearctic Clive R. McKay ABSTRACT On 25th June 1985, a Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum was found on a bare headland on Noss, Shetland, Scotland.Although it was dismissed at first as an escaped cage-bird, subsequent occurrences of the species in England and in Iceland supported the suggestion that it should be regarded as the first occurrence of this Nearctic species in the Western Palearctic. n the summer of 1985, I was employed as to the tail, and even the red tips to some of the Nature Conservancy Council’s the wing feathers. The date indicated that IWarden on Noss National Nature Reserve, there was little likelihood of its being a wild an island east of Bressay, Shetland, Scotland. Bohemian Waxwing B. garrulus, and I On the afternoon of 25th June, two visitors, suggested that it might be an escaped cage- Mr and Mrs P.Leward, returned to the Visitor bird. Centre after walking around the island, and I immediately searched the north coast of informed me that they had seen a waxwing the island, and found the bird feeding Bombycilla. They had obtained good views amongst Thrift Armeria maritima on the of the bird, and it was obvious from their top of a sheltered rocky headland. It was verbal description that it was indeed a obviously not a Bohemian Waxwing, having waxwing: they described the bird’s general no white on the primaries, and possessing brown coloration,prominent crest,yellow tip pale sulphur-yellow underparts. Dredging up 580 British Birds 93: 580-587, December 2000 McKay: Cedar Waxwing in Shetland my scant knowledge of American birds, I also similar to starling. General structure like suspected that it was a Cedar Waxwing that of a short-legged Redwing Turdus B. cedrorum, and I proceeded to take a field iliacus. When relaxed, short-necked and description. After watching it during 16.30- hunched, with wings held stiffly along sides 17.30 GMT, I hurriedly left the island to tele- and the wing-tips drooping below level of phone to the local birders. Unfortunately, tail, exposing the rump.When active, posture none was at home, but I was not too worried sleek and elegant, with wings held close to by this, since I assumed then that the bird the rump/tail. Hopped around boldly on was an escape from captivity. ground, with little elegance, and generally I also, however, telephoned a friend in preferred to remain stationary between fly- Sheffield, Keith Clarkson, who had spent catching sallies or lunges. Fed actively, taking some time on a small island off Newfound- food (thought to be mostly flies) either from land in the summer of 1982, studying Brün- the ground, from plant stalks and flower- nich’s Guillemots Uria lomvia. He told me heads (picked off delicately), or in flight. Fly- that the Cedar Waxwing is migratory, and catching sallies from ground only, not from that he had seen small flocks on the island in wall or other perches. Regularly sat on top of June, well away from their normal habitat.At a broken-down dry-stone dyke (see plates home, I flicked through The Shell Guide to 354 & 355) when preening or after being the Birds of Britain and Ireland (Ferguson- flushed. Often mobbed by the local resident Lees et al. 1973), and was surprised to find Rock Pipits Anthus petrosus, and attracted that, at that time, several species of Nearctic attention of Twites Carduelis flavirostris, but passerine vagrant had occurred in Britain not mobbed by them. Ignored by Common either occasionally or exclusively in June Starlings, and never seen to associate with (e.g. Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus,Cape any other species. May Warbler Dendroica tigrina, Rufous- PLUMAGE In very good condition, truly sided (now known as Eastern) Towhee immaculate,typical waxwing ‘feather-perfect’ Pipilo erythrophthalmus, Fox Sparrow appearance.The black mask and bib gave the Passerella iliaca, White-crowned Sparrow bird a very bold appearance,whilst the rest of Zonotrichia leucophrys and White-throated the plumage was characterised by the very Sparrow Z. albicollis). I began to consider subtle way that one colour merged into the possibility that this Cedar Waxwing another, enhancing the bird’s beauty. might be a genuine vagrant. Fortunately, it HEAD Typical waxwing head pattern, with a was still present on 26th, and, together with distinctive crest, usually held drooped and Susan Crosthwaite, I watched it during closed over the back of the head, but raised 08.30-10.30. I paid particular attention to the slightly from time to time (see plate 353). condition of the bird’s plumage and to its Facial pattern particularly beautiful when feeding behaviour. It bore no colour rings or seen head-on. Black mask from lores marks of any kind, nor did it show any extending through eye and upwards behind obvious plumage aberrations that might have eye towards back of head.Anterior two-thirds suggested a captive origin. I was able to of mask bordered above and below by a thin obtain some photographs of it (plates 353- cream-coloured line, this line a little thicker 356).We made no attempt to catch the bird, where it formed a short creamy moustachial as I had been able to make satisfactory obser- stripe. Short black bib merging imperceptibly vations of it in the field. It could not be into pale bronze of breast (a female found on 27th. characteristic?). Rest of head a rich metallic bronze. Description UPPERPARTS Nape and mantle dull bronze, The following details were supplied to the merging imperceptibly into lead-grey rump British Birds Rarities Committee. and uppertail-coverts. Lesser and median STRUCTURE AND BEHAVIOUR Wary when coverts dull bronze. Greater coverts and approached, but afforded good views when primary coverts brown-grey, six or seven of stalked carefully. Size similar to Common the former with red waxy tips. Tertials grey- Starling Sturnus vulgaris, but smaller. Flight brown, fringed with creamy-white on their British Birds 93: 580-587, December 2000 581 McKay: Cedar Waxwing in Shetland Clive R.Clive McKay Clive R.Clive McKay Clive R.Clive McKay Clive R.Clive McKay 353-356. Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum, Noss, Shetland, 26th June 1985. 582 British Birds 93: 580-587, December 2000 McKay: Cedar Waxwing in Shetland inner margins. Primaries dark brown-black Comments with blue-grey leading edges to basal half of The wind had been east or southeast at Noss feathers, forming a narrow panel on leading since 20th June, swinging around to SSW on edge of wing (see plates). Basal half of tail the afternoon of 25th, clearing away the fog lead-grey, distal third-quarter black, distal that had persisted for several days.The wind quarter yellow. backed to southeasterly again on 26th, when UNDERPARTS Black bib merging clear weather provided excellent conditions imperceptibly into pale bronze breast and for observations. chest. This in turn merging imperceptibly The bird showed no obvious behavioural with pale sulphur-yellow on belly. Vent traits or plumage characteristics to suggest and undertail-coverts creamy-white. Tibial that it was of captive origin. On the day on feathering white. which it arrived, there was also a small influx BARE PARTS Bill clean and gun-metal blue- of three or four Common Crossbills Loxia black. Legs short (much shorter than those of curvirostra to Noss. Common Starling or Song Thrush Turdus philomelos, for example), clean and black. Reference Ferguson-Lees, J., Willis, I., & Sharrock, J. T. R. 1983. Eye appeared to be all black, and difficult to The Shell Guide to the Birds of Britain and see against the black facial mask. Ireland. London. CALL A thin, feeble ‘Schreet’, heard twice immediately after the bird took flight. Dr Clive R. McKay, Tigh an Arish, Bridgend, Islay PA44 7PP EDITORIAL COMMENT by going out to look for one. That much- The identification of this Noss bird was twitched bird (fig. 1 and plates 357-359; see accepted with no difficulty (see Prof. Colin also Brit. Birds 89: plates 176 & 177) stayed Bradshaw’s comments, below), but its prove- for almost a month, and was seen by huge nance was debated long and hard (see Tony numbers of observers. Peter Smith gave an Marr’s comments which follow below) account of his discovery in Birding World (9: before being regarded as ‘not proven’ (Ibis 70-73).The Nottingham waxwing’s identifica- 135: 221; Brit. Birds 86: 229, 538). tion and status as a wild bird were accepted Eleven years later, however, in 1996, fate by the British Birds Rarities Committee (Brit. took a hand. In the midst of one of the Birds 90: 495) and the British Ornithologists’ largest irruptions ever into Britain of Union Records Committee (Ibis 140: 182), Bohemian Waxwings (Brit. Birds 90: 539- which led to the reconsideration of the 540), Peter Smith elected to browse through status of the earlier individual, on Noss. the National Geographic Society Field Cedar Waxwing was one of 38 species Guide to the Birds of North America predicted in 1980 by Chandler S. Robbins as (1983), swot up on the characteristics of the ‘most likely candidates for autumn Cedar Waxwing,‘ponder on the possibility of transatlantic flight’ (Brit. Birds 73: 448-457), one turning up, given the enormous influx of which 39% have occurred in the 20 years of Bohemian Waxwings currently present since then. and the large number of American vagrants Prof. Colin Bradshaw, Chairman of the discovered during the last autumn’ (Brit. BBRC, has commented: ‘There were few, if Birds 89: 582-583), and go out a couple of any, real identification issues with this record hours later to look at the undertail-coverts of owing to both the quality of the submission the waxwings in his local flock at Elmswood and the distinctiveness of the species in Gardens, Sherwood, Nottingham.