Cedar Waxwing in Caragana Blossoms

Looking through my photos from the summer, I found this shot of a Cedar Waxwing. What a perfect match between the yellow tips of its tail and the yellow Caragana flowers of its perch. There was a small flock of about five birds at the Condie Nature Refuge that day; some hid, some — like these two — posed.

Adult Cedar Waxwing, standing guard in the Caragana tree.  © SB

Another view of an adult Cedar Waxwing,
showing off its yellow tail and red waxy wingtips.  © SB

What are these? Cedar Waxwings (Jaseur d'Amérique)

Location: Condie Nature Refuge, near Regina, Saskatchewan
Photo date: May 29, 2016.

~~~~~

Juvenile Cedar Waxwings in Regina's Lakeridge Park

Juvenile Cedar Waxwing  © SB

On a birding walk through Regina's Lakeshore Park, we saw a large flock of Cedar Waxwings with many juveniles, all softly wheezing in the trees.

I hadn't seen Juvenile Cedar Waxwings before, although I'd like to think I could have recognized them by the yellow tails, black eye patches and head crest feathers, even without the help of fellow birders with Nature Regina. 

But... I can be blind at times, and many eyes are more far likely to see what's hiding than only mine.

There were no adults in these trees, but one perched high on a nearby tree, watrching the young ones, watching us.

Sometimes, I think Waxwings sound like the breath of trees. Not that I know what trees sound like when they breathe, but these birds' high whistling wheeze makes me think of an old pine catching its breath while gently creaking in the wind.

Juvenile Cedar Waxwing, with soft tan belly stripes   © SB

Several of the Juvenile Cedar Waxwings.  © SB

What are these? Juvenile Cedar Waxwings (Jaseur d'Amérique)

Location: Lakeridge Park, Regina, Saskatchewan
Photo date: September 10, 2016.

~~~~~

Cedar Waxwing Courting Ritual: Pass the Insect

It's my bug, but if you love me,
you can have it... © SB

I recently saw several Cedar Waxwings near Regina, Saskatchewan, which reminded me of a courting ritual I saw this spring...

Pass the Insect.

The ritual began when a Cedar Waxwing with a bug in its beak attracted the attention of a second Cedar Waxwing, which flew down to land on the branch beside it.

The two birds then proceeded to pass the bug back and forth for several minutes until (I think) one of them ate it. All About Birds says they'll do the same with other small items, such as fruit or petals. 

Birds in Motion! Cedar Waxwings courting/feeding in an endless loop.. 

And now, in slo-mo...

The bug lure is working... The second Cedar Waxwing is landing... © SB

The bug changes beaks. © SB

Um, yum! A bug - Cedar Waxwing love. © SB

Time to share the bug love again. © SB

Back to the beginning. Start again. © SB

What are these bird? Cedar Waxwings.

Location: Condie Nature Refuge, near Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada  

Photo date: May 28, 2012.

~~~~~

Cedar Waxwings - with and without Wax-Tipped Wings

At times, Cedar Waxwings' red waxy wingtips seem to be missing — a young bird, perhaps — or simply difficult to see.

Although Cedar Waxwings seem unfinished without the bright identifiers that give them their name, even without them, these birds remain very distinctive, with their black masks and flying head feathers.

Here's a look at a wax-free Cedar Waxwing, and one with bright red wax on its wings.

One of a group of five or six Cedar Waxwings,
none of which sported visible wax.   © SB

Ah, much more bird-book-cliché!
A Cedar Waxwing, with waxy wings! © SB

What is this bird? Cedar Waxwing

Location: Near Regina, Saskatchewan. (First picture, along Seven Bridges Road near Lumsden; second, at Condie Nature Refuge.) 

Photo dates:  First, July 29, 2013; second, May 28, 2013.  

~~~~~