The Cambridgeshire street I live in has become a mecca for excited twitchers who have spotted a couple of waxwings making a rare appearance to the UK this winter.

The enthusiasts were virtually on my doorstep early this morning with their long lenses aimed at a rowan tree across the snow covered street. The sub-zero temperature did not deter them, and my offer of a warming drink was declined as they headed off in eager pursuit of their feathery friends which had flown into a nearby garden.

Yesterday there were 20 birdwatchers, wrapped in woolly hats and thick jackets, including Ian Barton, who lives in the village and was the first to spot them on his way to the doctor’s surgery.

“I’ve lived in the village for 10 years and always look for them in the rowan tree because they love berries, and this is the first time I spotted them,” he said.

The waxwing usually arrive here every winter from Scandinavia and love feeding on berries, only this year there have been very few sightings of them, hence the flurry of excitement. I spoke to one birdwatcher who had travelled from Hertfordshire after being alerted on his pager which tracks the movements of all rare birds in the UK, and this is how they usually get to hear about it.

I know this will greatly interest keen ornithologist and blogger Maalie, who I hope will take me up on my offer of a coffee if he makes the journey here to view them.

And I wonder if we will we end up  being besieged like the Norfolk village of Cley two years ago following the appearance of a rare sparrow and attracted more than 1,000 birdwatchers…

UPDATE 4.30pm: Twitchers are still arriving, including one from London, but the waxwings have apparently  not been seen since 12.30pm because of a dominant and territorial mistle thrush which is sitting in the tree and keeping them away.

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire called to interview my MEP Robert Sturdy about  Greece’s bail out and I knew they would  be interested in speaking to the birdwatchers too for a report. So I went outside and passed my phone over to them and they were interviewed by Mark Williamson who, you could say, killed two birds with one stone! Only not those lovely waxwings, I hope!