A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity The Bird Lovers Forum Cedar Waxwings

I went trampling through the woods, well not exactly trampling as I was trying to "walk softly and carrying a big Canon" , behind my house today searching for birds. I was looking for cuckoos and red-bellies and such and not having any luck. About the only thing I was finding was invisible spider webs across my face, scrub juniper scratching my legs and mosquitoes chewing me up.

I finally gave up and was rounding my way back into my own yard when a flash of color and movement caught my eye near my big flower garden. I quickly turned on the camera and zoomed in on what I thought might be the house finch that Thorny swears I have.

This was the first picture I got.



Then I realized there were two of them playing around, they were quick but I got them.





They were only there for a minute or two.......... Two more pictures coming....

What would have been the best shot , had they not been moving so fast and me trying desperately to get the shot I wanted and shaking so bad,

My Cedar Waxwings show up by the hundreds every year on the exact day that the wild cherries have ripened to perfection. You should not be under the tree while the eat the cherries and spit the pits! Hundreds will go as a group and clean each tree before moving to the next tree. It sounds a lot like a major hail storm....
If I ever had to decide the "prettiest" bird, they would be in the top three! I always look forward to their 2 week visit, on their way south....

Those are such pretty birds.



Look in the mirror. I think you found the cuckoo.

My favorite bird to photograph......and you caught the spot of red wax on its wings! You don't always see that, or if you do can't get a picture of it. I had over 400 of them in my yard last month, after my Mulberries.

stop bragging.

why are they named Cedar Waxwings?

Cedar Waxwings are fruit and berry eaters, but are unable to digest the oils and waxes in the skins of the berries. They have evolved specialized glands in the wings that secrete this wax. Gravity pulls this wax in liquid form to the tips of the wing feathers, where it solidifies and hardens into a red waxy residue that is constantly falling off and being replaced. This IS the truth. That is why you sometimes see the red tips on the wings and sometimes don't Here is a picture I took this May in my yard.

I love that picture , Thorny! The yellow tips are so pronounced.

Thank you for the explanation , I never knew exactly why they had the waxy tips on their wings. I've seen the flocks of them before, but never just a pair. I thought that was odd. Oh well, they'll meet up with the rest , probably just a little tryst.


I'm with you , bill, they are definitely in the top 3 prettiest birds.

This time of year they split up into pairs to raise their young, but as soon as the young can fly, they and their parents will seek out other Waxwings to form a flock again.

awesome pictures you two very nice.

I see them in the early spring. They gravitate to the neighbor's holly tree that is loaded with berries. They stay until the berries are gone and then I have to wait a year to see them again. They are beautiful and elegant!