I read with interest the article in the Farnham Herald, January 11, concerning waxwings seen at Haven Way, Farnham, and would like to add a couple of points your readers may find of interest.

Firstly the rowan tree referred to is not the common or garden native rowan or mountain ash (sorbus aucuparia) with red berries but the white berried species likely to be the Hupeh rowan (sorbus hupehensis) introduced from China.

Secondly, and what is more surprising, is that I am told  by one of the twitchers that the waxwing is quite a rare winter visitor and was last seen in Farnham in 2012/13, over ten years ago.

Even more surprising is that they were then seen in the very same location feeding on the same Hupeh rowan. I am no ornithologist   but is it possible the very same birds came back to the same tree ten years on or that others of the same species found their way from Scandinavia to Farnham?

Perhaps there’s a twitcher that could enlighten us. 

Peter Bridgeman

Nelson Road, Farnham