WAXWINGS were the undoubted highlight of February's birdwatching. These charismatic Scandinavian visitors periodically "invade" Britain to feed on berries. They are quite distinctive, somewhat resembling a buff-coloured starling, but with a crest, face mask and yellow wing flashes.

They have the added attraction of usually being remarkably tame and thus allowing close views.

While not as widespread in occurrence as other recent influxes, there were some good numbers where they turned up. These included 25 along the Darlington Road, Northallerton, and a smaller flock near Tesco's in the town. Up to 100 birds were seen around Darlington town centre and there were also double-figure counts at Thirsk, Stockton, Ripon and Guisborough.

Apart from waxwings, it was generally a rather quiet month although, as usual, Nosterfield managed to attract some interesting birds. Best of these was a sighting of avocet. This handsome species with pied plumage and a unique upturned bill is of course well-known as the symbol of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

The great success of the RSPB's effort to protect and encourage the nesting of avocets has resulted in regular breeding at Blacktoft Sands on the Humber but they have only occurred locally on a couple of previous occasions.

Other sightings of note here included a smew, regular peregrine, small numbers of white-fronted geese and, just into the first day of March, a red kite and kittiwake. The usual early spring passage of oystercatchers was also noted through Nosterfield with a peak count of about 70 birds. Flocks of up to 60 "oycs" were seen at Thornton Steward reservoir together with a new record total of 49 cormorants at this site.

Thornton Steward is a small concrete-sided reservoir lying between the village of the same name and Newton le Willows, near Bedale. It has little vegetation and is quite exposed but nevertheless has turned up the odd interesting sighting, including red-necked grebe, red-crested pochard and Mediterranean gull, and is always worth a quick scan in passing.

Other birds of note during February included Mediterranean gull at Bolton on Swale, large numbers of crossbills remaining in the Stang and a number of sightings of greylag geese carrying grey neck-collars. These represent wild birds from the Icelandic population and shows the increasing importance of this area as a wintering ground for grey geese.

Finally there were intriguing, but as yet unconfirmed, reports of little bunting seen coming to feeders in a local garden. If these should prove to be accurate, this would be the first local record of this rare Scandinavian visitor.

Looking ahead, we should see the first "real" summer migrants here by the month end. Wheatears are often the first and they generally head straight for their moorland breeding areas. Other possibilities are sand martin, and I've received a report of an exceptionally early bird in Shropshire, and little ringed plover. Both of these species tend to be reported first from the well-watched gravel pit sites such as Nosterfield or Bolton on Swale.

Also of interest are early signs of another influx of cranes to Britain with 30-plus birds already recorded, including a flock of nine birds on the Yorkshire coast. Given this area attracted birds in last year's major influx, it may well be worth keeping an eye open, or even better an ear, as they have distinctive and far-carrying "bugling" calls