Cedar Waxwing numbers are highly unpredicatble.
Here in numbers one day, then gone for days or months.
I have seen them in apple blossom time in spring (devouring the petals),
again when the honeysuckle berries are ripe in summer,
or busy flycatching over some northern stream.
During some winters they descend en masse to eat mountain ash berries, multiflora rose or other bushes with persistent fruit.
Other birds on this dark, rainy morning:
Bird species list: mallard, red-tailed hawk, hairy woodpecker, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, cedar waxwing, American robin, ruby-crowned kinglet, European starling, northern cardinal. (12 species)
Today’s group (with friendly Doberman):
Valley scenes:
Some botany:
NATURE POETRY
In the dreamy silence
Of the afternoon, a
Cloth of gold is woven
Over wood and prairie. – Alexander Posey (1873–1908)
Miles Hearn
Despite the wet conditions I enjoyed visiting Beechwood. I have never lived close to the Don River or Valley.
I was reading some info about the Cedar Wax Wings. Large flocks tend to gather in the fall and they like to gorge on fermented berries. They have beautiful plumage.
Wonderful! Not the cold rain, perhaps–but I was in it today (my daily neighbourhood walk with Max, my dog), and again, fall colours are gorgeous in the rain, in my opinion! We were both dressed for it, and we managed. At least it wasn’t a downpour, which would have precluded as much of a walk as we did.
I loved the Cedar Waxwings and everything else in these pictures, too!
In Florida in winter, I once saw large flocks (50 or more?) of cedar waxwings all landing in trees and sitting silently. I guessed there was a hawk around. Very impressive.
I also love the fuscia coloured wing tips (the wax?) on some of these birds though I don’t see this in these photos.
Diana Chastain
Dark and rainy day, but the photos are are beautiful.
Thank you
Hello Miles thank you for your keeping us on the list. We had such a good time with you and the other people who came as well. I hope the weather is not too cold for you yet. We miss being in Canada but it was time to come home and we live in a village which is in an area called An area of outstanding beauty. Hopefully we will one day come back, but obviously not with Covid here and hope that it is not too bad in Toronto. We miss you, take care and hopefully we will get back one day!
We both send our regards.
Carolyn EJ and of course Graham too!