Saturday the Waxwings finally showed up to start stripping the fruit from the crab apple tree.
I'm always very excited about their arrival since I only see them maybe twice a year. It was a dreary day and I had to lighten these a lot to get any color in the birds at all. I'm hoping we get some sunshine before they eat all the apples and I might get some better photos.
My best shot. It is fun to watch them eat. They just gobble those little crab apples up whole. My neighbor has a tree, too so I get to watch them work on both trees.
They aren't very spooked by humans, and let me sit or stand fairly close to the tree if I'm very quiet.
"This looks like a good one!"
I didn't count them, but would say the flock is about 8-10 birds.
5 in this shot.
A trio
This pair was in one of the best spots. My camera has a terrible time with all the little twigs and busyness of the tree......takes me forever to get a focus on the birds.
The yellow tail tip is the easiest thing to see and the black face mask.
I like this shot even if it is light :-)
The only shot I have showing the red bit on the wing that gives them their "wax" name. It is actually a concentration of pigment from their fruit diet. (Sibleys)
My best shot. It is fun to watch them eat. They just gobble those little crab apples up whole. My neighbor has a tree, too so I get to watch them work on both trees.
They aren't very spooked by humans, and let me sit or stand fairly close to the tree if I'm very quiet.
"This looks like a good one!"
I didn't count them, but would say the flock is about 8-10 birds.
5 in this shot.
A trio
This pair was in one of the best spots. My camera has a terrible time with all the little twigs and busyness of the tree......takes me forever to get a focus on the birds.
The yellow tail tip is the easiest thing to see and the black face mask.
I like this shot even if it is light :-)
The only shot I have showing the red bit on the wing that gives them their "wax" name. It is actually a concentration of pigment from their fruit diet. (Sibleys)There are some robins sharing the fruit with them, so I hope it lasts until Tuesday when we may have some sunshine.
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22 comments:
You are lucky to get such a variety of birds enjoying your hospitality.
A bit like the little old lady who swallowed the fly, they seem much too little to swallow whole crabapples.
Great shots.
Waxwing watching is just the best Mary!! Your photos are great! I'll never forget when the Bohemian showed up at my NY home one year! That was a thrill!
I find Waxwings so fascinating to watch.Rarely ever does one see only one of them.
Blessings,Ruth
Wow, Mary, those are beautiful photos!! Didn't these little creatures just MAKE your day?? :) Is your Crabapple Tree what they call 'ornamental'? I would love to have one. :)
Mary, these are great pictures!! THe Cedar Waxwing is one of my very favorite birds! They are so smooth looking and I love the touches of red and yellow.
Happy new week to you!
Leanne: I'd have a better variety if my herd of House Sparrows would move away....sigh.
Arija: Exactly! I love how they open wide and gulp it down.
Eve: Lucky you! I've only seen the Cedar Waxwings here.
Angie: I guess it is ornamental. It has white blossoms. My pink one has huge apples, while these are tiny.
Dorothy: I love them too and wish I saw them all the time. Maybe they are more special because I only see them once or twice a year.
Beautfull I am so so envious I wish I could see them. Well Done Mary
I really like your pictures of the Waxwings among the berries. You did very well at capturing the birds among all those twigs and branches.
Great pictures of the Waxwings, Mary.. Glad they came by to eat the crab apples... I remember the first time I was a Cedar Waxwing... We were waterfalling near Tullahoma, TN... I was more excited to see the Waxwings than I was to see the waterfall. Ha Ha
Hugs,
Betsy
Hi Mary.. you must have been excited...aren't they beautiful..there feathers always looks so smooth and like silk!!
Your photos are very nice..epecially like the first one!!
There are a lot of postings in the UK and here but when do I get my turn?? Don't keep them there to long. lol ; }
beautiful birds. your shots are great. do you shoot with your camera on auto focus? if so, change it to manual focus and you can focus on the birds instead of the branches. a trick i learned several months back. but, don't forget to change it back when you're finished. hope all is well. have a great day.
It looks like you all had s great visit! They are all so beautiful!How nice for you that they dropped by.
Ann
Don: They are gorgeous birds and I look forward to them every year.
George: Thanks!
Betsy: Thanks...better than a waterfall? Wow :-)
Grammie G: They do look incredibly smooth. Don't know why.
Naquillity: Well...I'm too dumb to use anything but autofocus..or at least too slow. But maybe I will give it a try.
Ann: I have been jealous of yours, so I'm glad you let a few come down here :-)
Fabulous sighting and shooting Mary. Beautiful images of a beautiful bird, I have never seen our version of them, which are winter visitors to England.
Roy: I bet if you plant something with berries, they will come!
I would be so thrilled to see a cedar waxwing...Roger has seen them when he is out hunting and one year when I was not working they came out to the orchard. But even thought I watch and watch for them, I have yet to see one.
Super captures!!
Rose: I have seldom seen one in the wild, but they like my crab apple trees. I first saw them a couple years ago.
Kerri: Thanks!
I LOVE your pictures!!!
Jean: Thank you!
I can't believe I'm so far behind Mary. I absolutely LOVE Waxwings, and you always get such awesome pictures of them.
B
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