As you know when I get excited, you are in for a lot of photos!
I sat out in the cold for at least 3 hours freezing my fingers off to take these photos!
I've never had good pictures of a Cedar Waxwing before.
I was watching the Robins strip the crab apples off the tree when I realized there was something "yellowish" out there with them. I knew it had to be Waxwings!
They sure have big mouths when they gobble those apples!
Looks like it would be big enough to choke him!
I took about 200 out-of-focus shots before finally getting some good ones! I was so frustrated when I looked at the first photos while trying to warm my hands up. There is so much busyness with all the tree branches and apples, that I had a terrible time making the camera understand what I wanted it to focus on!
It isn't fair to ignore the Robins.....I was thrilled to see them before I saw the Waxwings. Here are at least 2-3 photos of them and I will probably do more tomorrow.
He looks like he is trying to make a choice at a buffet....."Hmmmm....which one looks best?"
The Robins sometimes sat and didn't eat and looked like they were on guard for the ones that were eating.
The Waxwings have such unusually smooth looking feathers and the interesting face mask and red and yellow color bits are so pretty!
A back view to be well-rounded :-)
Just a nice pose. You can see that there are hundreds of apples left to eat, so I hope they will be there tomorrow, too.
Reaching.....shows the little red bit on the wing tip and the yellow tip of the tail.
Surrounded by apples.
A nice profile.
This one somehow looked really tall and stretched out.
Choosing.
2 Waxwings with a Cardinal in the background.
2 and a Robin
3 Waxwings! There were only about 6 of them, I think. I never got more than 4 in the tree at once and that shot was poor.
I was watching the Robins strip the crab apples off the tree when I realized there was something "yellowish" out there with them. I knew it had to be Waxwings!
They sure have big mouths when they gobble those apples!
Looks like it would be big enough to choke him!
I took about 200 out-of-focus shots before finally getting some good ones! I was so frustrated when I looked at the first photos while trying to warm my hands up. There is so much busyness with all the tree branches and apples, that I had a terrible time making the camera understand what I wanted it to focus on!
It isn't fair to ignore the Robins.....I was thrilled to see them before I saw the Waxwings. Here are at least 2-3 photos of them and I will probably do more tomorrow.
He looks like he is trying to make a choice at a buffet....."Hmmmm....which one looks best?"
The Robins sometimes sat and didn't eat and looked like they were on guard for the ones that were eating.
The Waxwings have such unusually smooth looking feathers and the interesting face mask and red and yellow color bits are so pretty!
A back view to be well-rounded :-)
Just a nice pose. You can see that there are hundreds of apples left to eat, so I hope they will be there tomorrow, too.
Reaching.....shows the little red bit on the wing tip and the yellow tip of the tail.
Surrounded by apples.
A nice profile.
This one somehow looked really tall and stretched out.
Choosing.
2 Waxwings with a Cardinal in the background.
2 and a Robin
3 Waxwings! There were only about 6 of them, I think. I never got more than 4 in the tree at once and that shot was poor.All right....I quit. I can't help it. New birds really get me excited! It was worth freezing my fingers for.
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31 comments:
Mary: Wonderful captures and really good shots of the waxwings. Three at once is amazing.
Fishing Guy: Thanks...they are so pretty! I was thrilled to see them!
Three hours in the cold to take pictures!? You know, they have meds now that can help you.
Waxwings are one of my particular fancies so I nabbed a couple pics for my desktop. Tell your fingers I said thanks.
Melissa: Gee...I haven't heard from you in a long time! Didn't know you even looked at my blog uless I reminded you...glad I could provide you with some desktop enjoyment :-)
Boy, you did great. The one time I have seen a Waxwing (I just had one) there was also a Robin real close by. Moral of that story is when you see a Robin keep your eye out for the Waxwing. Wish it was that easy. You got some great photos, and I know what you mean about the camera wanting to focus on everything but the bird, even with the focus set on just one point.
I have started a new blog, hope you will visit it too. I will be posting at it everyday, but will still be posting at the old blog, just not as often.
Leedra’s Photos For Fun
Photography By Leedra
Beautiful pictures of the Waxwing, Mary. Loved the ones with him biting into that crab apple. We don't have waxwings--or at least I don't have any near here that I know of..
Have a wonderful day.
Hugs,
Betsy
WOW! These are really GREAT pictures! I love those Cedar Waxwings and I hardly ever see them. I can understand why you got so excited getting to take these wonderful pictures.
And excited you should have been. I love that second photo with the waxwing just about encapsulating that crab apple! We get Bohemian Waxwings up here.
I just got caught up with your blog. I love the moon photo. THAT is really good. Looks like you are having fun with the new camera. I got to see Titmice in Atlanta and I want them in my yard!! You are lucky to have such cute little guys. The Waxwing and Robin photos are great. Aren't those Waxwings sexy?!
Hi Mary,
I would like the opportunity to see the waxwings in England at the moment, but haven't been that lucky. Try practising with the 'Manual' focus ring on the lens. Its always difficult with 'Auto' focus with birds and tree branches. Very frustrating at times.
Fantastic photos and I can understand your excitement and enthusiasm!! They are beautiful birds and the red berries do so much to enhance the photos! They are all so nice. I really like the fourth up from the bottom a lot, and also your Robin ones too. And you have captured the yellow on the Waxwings beautifully.
If the distance wasn't so great, and the packaging so difficult, I would swap you a couple of my Bohemian ones for a couple of your Cedars, for I have seen none of those yet this year.
Great job! Just look at the rewards of those cold three hours standing out-of-doors.
Mary, I'm very impressed with all these pictures, but especially the ones with multiple waxwings.
We often have large flocks of Robins here, but Cedar waxwings are rare. It has been several years since I have seen one here. On winter a large flock of them spent a couple of days in my backyard
An Arkie's Musings
Hi Mary, I can just imagine your excitement seeing these bird in your tree! Great photos, specially the forth one. I'm hoping for some Bohemian Waxwings in a berry tree just down the road from me. No luck as yet, please send a couple of yours over! (-:
Your exceitement is well justified.You have some rally great shots.I especially like the Robin and Waxwing in one picture.I do hope they will be back again,I'd like to see more pictures.
Blessings,Ruth
OK, now I'm really getting jealous! Those are some gorgeous pictures Mary. Any chance there is a house in your neighborhood for sale? LOL You have such great opportunities in your area for bird watching.I've got nothing here except the same old gang, AND there are apples on my Crab tree! The only Waxwings I ever had here was early last spring and they were eating berries from my Holly bushes in front of the house. Way too close to the ground to get any good pictures.
Keep up the good work.
About those Robins, I thought they would be farther south? ?
B.
Those Waxwing shots look good to me. Years ago we had a cedar Waxwing mixed in with a large flock of Bohemian Waxwings in Nottingham.
Oh WOW! These are fabulous!! Great work!!
Stunning birds, well captured!
Only some have wax droplets on their wings - the adults?
Wonderful shots of your garden birds. Hope your fingers have thawed out so we can see more tomorrow! A x
Some wonderful shots here! The colors of the Waxwing are beautiful! And to catch so many at a time, Bravo!
Leedra: Thanks! Will check out your new blog later...haven't checked any blogs yet today!
Betsy: I don't usually see waxwings so I was real excited!
Dorothy: Thanks...it was great to see them!
Cicero:Thanks..I like that one too! I've never seen a Bohemian except in Ann's blog.
NW Nature Nut: LOL! hadn't thought of them as sexy, but they sure are fancy! Glad you saw the Titmice. They are so cute.
Roy: I read in someone's blog that a Waxwing was sited over there. Maybe you will get lucky yet! Mike tells me the same thing about manual focus :-) I've tried the manual a little but not good at it yet.
Ann: I was so thrilled with your post on the Bohemian Waxwings and then to have these guys show up was just wonderful! I'll take any waxwings I can get!
George: I messed up a whole bunch of shots that had more than one in it. Very frustrated for awhile and thought I might end up with nothing!
Richies: I think the Robins must be really hungery. I don't usually see them in winter.
Jenny: You'll have to talk to Ann in New Brunswick about the Bohemians :-) Wouldn't it be great if we really could swap birds occasionally??
Ruth: they were very pretty together and they did come back. Not too many apples left.
Becky: I'm sure I could find you a house and you would not have so much snow here :-) How about a house with about 5 acres? I know friends who want to sell.
Abbey: I've never seen Bohemians, but love these Cedars!
Keri: Thanks!
Kingsdowner Steve: I don't know about the red tips. The books say the sdults have them, but the juvenile looks quite a bit different (no face mask) so I wonder if sometimes it is just hidden and doesn't show? I noticed that it didn't show in a lot of the photos. Hmmmmmmm.
Anne: Thawed out finally and sat out some more today.
Rottlady: I really had a fun day :-)
Mary! These are fabulous! I hope people enlarged them...there is just something about seeing them filling the screen that is so enjoyable.
Rose: I was so fascinated by their smooth looking feathers and that mask on their face and the yellow tail tip and red wing bar! Such a cool bird!
Great photos, Mary. I love waxwings.
Well I enjoyed everyone of your photos Mary so keep freezing your fingers off for us!
Are you listening to the birds calls and songs? Cedar Waxwings have a very high pitched call. Keep an ear out!
The posts below are so sweet...I think Star was falling asleep there for a minute!
Which Chickadee do you get...I guess I should look close and then look it up..they are pretty similar, the Carolina and Black-capped.
Eve: Thanks! I always assumed my chickadees are the Black-capped. I don't see a lot of difference in the way they look in the book and really don't think I could see the differences they show. Will study some photos. The one on my sidebar is typical. I never heard the waxwings make any sound.
It was definitely worth freezing for. Thanks Mary. This is a beautiful bird. Oh....I like the robin too. :)
Joan: Waxwings are so exotic looking!
Well, these photos are just magnificent, Mary! For never have gotten a good one, ya done good, girl!
Love that second one with the berry in the beak. Just wonderful!
Annie: I figure I may never have this opportunity again, so I've tried to get as many photos as possible before the apples are gone.
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