Waxwings at the North Quay retail park & Ness Point

The ever prolific bird finder Andrew E had found some Waxwings at the North Quay retail park, at just after 9am I drove down there initially not seeing anything but as I was about to leave I saw Rob H who had them, they were perched near the top of a Silver Birch tree, cunningly hidden, if you didn't know they were there. The weather was overcast with dark cloud and became quite windy. There were 7 excellent Waxwings perched up in the silver birch tree and every 20 minutes or so, preceded by some trilling calls. they would fly down in one, twos or threes to quickly gulp down a few berries before flying back up to the silver birch. I had rung Jane F earlier to find out exactly where the birds had been seen and I rang her when Rob H had spotted the birds and Whats App messaged both the Thursday Club and BINS networks to enable others to twitch them. We attracted a lot of interest from passers by and pleased to note most of them knew about Waxwings. The birds flew down to the tree about 7 or 8 times whilst I was there and we were eventually joined by David B, Richard and Jane F who finally made it there. I had a couple of problems with the camera which stopped me getting some shots on two occasions. At 11.20am, they suddenly flew up and flew south. Time for us to leave too. A quick stop at home for a coffee (No Costa for me!) and I was out down at Ness Point seeing Rob H again. There was a strong north- east winds, very choppy and big waves, crashing over onto the area just north of the compass at Ness point and further north along the sea wall. Immediately we saw a group of 8 Wigeon flying north and then 2 Brent Geese flying south, another group of 18 Wigeon also seen flying south and I had an adult Gannet, 2 Gannets (adult and juv), another 2 Gannets all flying north. A Purple Sandpiper was seen briefly by the rocks. I saw something bravely swimming and battling the waves trying to swim north, its pointed nose identified as a Grey Seal. After Rob had left a fairly close Red- throated Diver flew south and then another one did so, too. then 3 Purple sandpipers was seen flying in from the extreme south section of the sea and they settled around the defence rocks just south of the compass, 2 disappeared bu one Purple Sandpiper was on the rocks here before flying to the very top of the rocks. Then a lovely adult Kittiwake flew right over my head, nicely silhouetted by the very dark clouds out to see. Hunger pangs saw me leave at 1.15pm and after lunch, I checked the Links road car park and north beach area, lots of Gulls seen around 40 including an unringed second winter Mediterranean Gull and an adult winter Kittiwake that I photographed but nothing seen out to sea whatsoever!