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Alan, regarding your comment on "Bird Reports" this evening (Sat) that the adult Waxwing at present frequenting the Rowan trees at McDonalds Lincoln might be a returning bird that had "remembered" that exact food source from a previous year's visit..........I have drawn attention to that interesting possibility previously on the LBC website : .....(with one or two appropriate text changes) :
"With the growing frequency of the irruptions of Waxwings into Britain in the last ten years - and a factor that could still be relevant regarding small numbers and returning individuals in 'thin' years - it may well be that the proliferation of supermarkets and their car parks with their abundant berry trees, plus an obvious planting spree of attractive berry trees in new housing estates, are readily available food source facts that are being "remembered" or even becoming hard-wired into Waxwing winter dispersal strategies. That proposition certainly provides food for thought for birders, too, for are we in fact witnessing a behavioural change in a species' habits ? The 'literature' readily cites other well-known examples of "acquired" avian behaviour where birds have relatively quickly adapted to new advantageous situations."
To 'supermarkets' one could add 'fast-food outlets'.
Freddy
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