Waxwings! Only three feet from the truck! Early one late spring morning, I rolled out of bed, got dressed and headed down to my local creek. Getting down there as the sun comes up or even just after it rises has always proved to be a perfect time to catch the birds that live there out feeding!
Great weather assured the parking lot was packed down at the wildlife boat ramp put-in when I arrived there. As a result, I had to squeeze my S-10 pickup into the only tiny parking spot left between two boat trailers. Because of all these boaters, I just knew they would be the death-nail for my birding. Outboards making loud noises, and all the commotion at the boat ramp off loading boats from trailers, wasn’t the most opportune time to birdwatch. However, I was about to be pleasantly surprised!
Carefully, I stepped over the split-rail fence bordering the parking lot by the concrete bulkhead. Standing firmly on both feet with my camera and binocs, I then looked straight out from me. There in that moment, I met for the first time the Cedar Waxwing… and a whole flock of them, too!
Quite entertaining. Yes, this one was eating Mulberries while hanging upset down!
So many colors on the feathers on this beautiful Waxwing. The soft look of its feathers looked like an artist’s oil painting on the tree.
Watching these two Cedar Waxwings in a Mulberry tree was quite entertaining.
What to Know About Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum)
- Size:7 1/2 inches long, Wingspan of 12″ wide
- Travels in flocks
- Food: Dines on flies, berries and small fruits of trees, large shrubs, sometimes sap or flowers
- Migratory: partial migrant here in eastern North Carolina and moves about to find food. Check your local field guide for occurrence in your area.
- Habitat: Likes open rural and suburban places
- Vocalizes with high pitched whistles, “seeee seeee”
- Nest: uses sticks, moss, grasses, fine textures to line it with. Usually 6 – 60 feet above groud.
Most planned out birding trips often have a change of plan hidden in them. All things considered, even though I was planning on seeing many different birds when I got down to the creek, an entire flock of Cedar Waxwings gave me a show. Knowing I may not have an experience such as this again with Waxwings, I stayed as long as I could with them. As has been noted, watching only one species for an hour while photographing them was still a great time! When they gleaned the tree from its many ripened mulberries and were flying away, I decided to leave, too. In short, it was lovely to meet so many fine feathered friends at their breakfast table…only three feet from my truck!
Happy Birding!
