Small numbers of waxwings were to be found feeding on berries in many places in the eastern half of Britain yesterday, including several parts of Norwich. There were also half a dozen farther west, in Newborough Forest on Anglesey. However, there has been no large-scale invasion this year of these exotic-looking pink birds with a pointed crest, and red and yellow markings on their wings. At precisely this point in January last year, we were in the middle of the largest influx since the winter of 2004-05, with flocks of up 200 birds in Scotland, and many birds appearing in ornamental bushes in supermarket car parks. One might have thought that the freezing weather in Scandinavia would have driven them here this winter, but in fact the large invasions come in years not when it is very cold but when the rowan berries they feed on are in short supply. They fly here for our hawthorn, wild rose and cotoneaster berries.