Archive for waxwings

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Over the Mountain

By June 3, 2011 1 comment

Moving is a tribulation, even when you’re just moving across town. But when you’re moving closer to great birding, there are some consolations. So, let me remind myself why I recently spent an entire rainy day lifting heavy things and making my unfortunate boyfriend do the same: The first time I looked the apartment over [...]

Cedar Waxwing vs. Bohemian Waxwing

By February 15, 2011 28 comments

Waxwings are among the most beautiful of passerines and when one gets good looks at any of the three species that occur worldwide those looks are almost always among the highlights of a birding day.  In North America there are two species of waxwing that one might encounter.  The careful and prepared observer will have [...]

Waxwing Working a String

By July 5, 2009 5 comments

You know that we’re just wild about waxwings around here. Who wouldn’t be? Waxwings are social, sleek, and oh so chic. Did you know they were also tenacious when it comes to acquiring premium nesting material? I didn’t until I observed a pair of Cedar Waxwings trying to untangle a long length of string in [...]

Another Attempt at Cedar Waxwings

By August 22, 2007 5 comments

After my last attempt at getting the perfect shot of a Cedar Waxwing in flight I vowed to try again so I was pleased to discover several waxwings have made the duck pond at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs their flycatching headquarters. I spent an entire lunch break yesterday trying to get the perfect flight [...]

What is a Waxwing?

By August 11, 2007 2 comments

If you live on any decent-sized landmass anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, chances are waxwings occasionally wing your way. Waxwings are dapper passerine birds that breed in northern forests and winter where ever they please. Birds of the genus Bombycilla are primarily frugivorous, sometimes to excess, but will happily feast on flying insects in summer. [...]

Flycatching Cedar Waxwings

By August 10, 2007 6 comments

Though Cedar Waxwings are known for their preference for eating fruit, they are actually also accomplished flycatchers. Daisy and I had the great pleasure of watching a flock of them showcasing their aerial abilities the other day at Five Rivers. Of course, I took a ton of pictures. But as is often the case when [...]