The Cedar Waxwings Are Back at Theler

Most of the birds I saw at Theler after photographing the eagles were common birds, but on the way back I noticed a small flock of Cedar Waxwings on the top of the trees,

Cedar Waxwings in Treetops

my first sighting of the year. Unfortunately, even though I waited around for nearly a half hour they weren’t about to descend.

I’d nearly forgotten about them while taking pictures of wrens, swallows and goldfinches, but while circling back through the wetlands I noticed an awful lot of berries had been freshly eaten. I started looking for a Swainson Thrush, but as I came around the corner I saw a small flock of Waxwings eating the berries. They were too busy eating to be disturbed by me, so I was able to get several shots of them feeding.

Cedar Waxwing

For some reason the weird angle of the bird in this shot reminded me of Audubon illustrations I’d purchased recently.

As it turns out, it was actually another species that Audubon showed in this position, but I did capture one shot that looked very similar to a pose Audubon used in his portrayal of Cedar Waxwings.

Cedar Waxwing

I was standing there taking pictures so long that eventually the waxwings began looking back at me,

 Cedar Waxwing

apparently having decided I was too slow to represent any threat.

4 thoughts on “The Cedar Waxwings Are Back at Theler”

  1. I like this sense of reciprocal curiosity between species that you allude to here, Loren. And how it’s a function of your waiting patiently, in no hurry to get anywhere. Once you become just part of their landscape, they can finally wonder, “So what’s with that large critter pointing and clicking over yonder?”

  2. My favorite part of birding is when I can become nothing more than part of the scenery, especially with birds that are originally quite shy.

  3. I love waxwings Loren. We had more here over this past winter than there have been for many years. They just love rowan berries.

  4. Cedar Waxwings are one of my favorites, but we rarely see them here in East Texas. Thanks for posting the pictures!

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