Rare visitors bring twitchers flocking to Asda car park in Totton

TWITCHERS descended on a supermarket car park to spot a flock of birds rarely seen in the south.

Armed with cameras and binoculars, many gathered at Asda in Totton to see the waxwings, which were eating berries from the trees.

The birds are usually seen on the east coast of Scotland and in East Anglia during winter, having made the journey from Scandinavia. However, they have been known to move inland in search of food.

Stephen Dudley from Dibden Purlieu, visited the car park on Monday to see if he could catch a glimpse of the birds.

He told the A&T: “There's been a record number of birds from Scandinavia coming over, which can mean we're in for a harsh winter. They feed on the berries in the trees. However, I think we're a bit late now, as they have been in the area for a few days. They could have moved into the forest now."

The birds were also spotted in nearby Beaumont Road and Jennings Road.

Local councilor David Harrison said he was “overjoyed” to spot some and luckily had his camera with him, having heard they were in the area.

He said: “To my delight, I was able to see and hear these beautiful birds for the first time. I saw eight of them in Jennings Road, with quite a gathering of twitchers looking on. Some of the bird enthusiasts had come all the way from Essex.”