I don’t get opportunities with waxwings of either species very often.
But it’s been hot in the Salt Lake Valley so yesterday morning we headed into the mountains for some relief. Temperatures dropped about 20 degrees F within 25 minutes of driving and it was so very refreshing! And we even found some birds to photograph, including Cedar Waxwings.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Usually when I see Cedar Waxwings they’re in feeding flocks but the two birds I photographed were obviously an actively breeding pair. They repeatedly flew in and out of the same thick foliage carrying food and nesting material and several times we could hear the sound of chicks coming through the leaves (no, I never approached the nest). Sexes are virtually identical so I couldn’t distinguish between the male and female.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Most of the shots I was able to get of them had cluttered settings but in my experience with the species that usually comes with the territory.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Only twice was I able to get relatively clean images of either bird – this was one of them.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
And this was the other.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
When the bird ruffled its feathers its appearance changed dramatically.
Even though most of my shots of these waxwings had busy settings I thoroughly enjoyed watching their nesting behaviors – something I’d never before observed in this species.
And boy, did that cool and refreshing mountain air ever feel good!
Ron
I see these waxwings seldom enough to find it special when I do see them. Great shots and pretty unobstructed.I particularly like the last one with the ruffled feathers. I too ran into a group this past weekend in Central Alberta and was wondering if some of them were young ones because I got fairly close but was shooting through the branches..
Ron, I was out to Farmington Bay on Monday of this week to see if I could find some birds, etc. to photograph and observe. There weren’t very many. Is that because of the time of year or were a lot lost in the hail storms this spring?
Stephen
I don’t think it’s related to the storms, Stephen. It’s just slow out there right now, partly because most of the refuge is unavailable to us until breeding season is over. I haven’t been there for quite a while…
Wonderful series Ron!
Charlotte
I love the palette on these, Ron. Well done
“And boy, did that cool and refreshing mountain air ever feel good!”
It’s why we live up here!
I think the athletic director of our local high school must have been a waxwing in another life. He never wrinked, his clothes never wrinkled, no hair was ever out of place, his teeth were perfectly straight, and he is as handsome, tall, and erect In his older years as he was in his 30’s and 40’s. Now, at least in his 70s, he remains soft-spoken, courteous, humorous and goodnatured. He’s apparently still swimming competetively–and still working though in a different district! His name is Ron too…..
Couple of years ago, I was brought an orphan Unknown Nestling. By now, I recognize all the usual suspects, but this baby was something that I’d never seen. Nothing to do but feed it and wait. One day the yellow popped out on the tail, and Bingo, had my first Cedar Waxwing! Their color blending is magnificent, almost look air-brushed.
“Air-brushed” is a very good way to describe it, Mikal. That’s EXACTLY what they look like.
Love their ‘do’. And that flash of scarlet.
And cool air is blissful.
Here in what masquerades for winter I am loving it. The sweaty season is NOT my friend.
I’ve often wondered what winters were like in your part of Australia, EC.
I enjoyed this post! We’ve spent many recent summers in Park City. Last summer was miserable because of no A/C in condo.
We spent more time in the high mountains just to stay cool! I’ve enjoyed this series of Ceder Wax Wings cuz they’re so sleek and perfectly beautiful – reflected by your pics!
Linda, if it was hot in Park City you can imagine what it was like down here in the valley. Looks like were in for more of the same this summer.
Wonderful pics, Ron. Having planted two serviceberries last year, I was hoping that I would have some visits here in Millcreek. Well, not that I have seen. But the robins are enjoying the berries. Next year, maybe, if word gets out?
Maybe they’ll show up this fall, Becky. Good luck.
Lucky you. They are beautiful birds.
Agreed, Jean. On both counts.
I love Cedar Waxwings – subtle beauty and soft voices – that is, except when they are stripping apple blossoms off the tree! 🙂 See them more in winter but they are often here in summer – just hard to find with all the color and racket of the other birds. 🙂 Beautiful pictures, Ron.
Thank you, Judy.
Ron, they are so cute, I love seeing them around my place and feeders in the fall and winter. Never see them during the summer!
They’re only wintertime residents in roughly the lower half of the US, Trudy.
Quite a beautiful bird and so nice to see one in such detail.
Thank you, Carol.
Just splendid shots, as usual!
Cedar Waxwings used to flow through my yard in Dallas (across the street from White Rock Lake Park) in huge flocks, devouring all the berries on the laurel trees before they’d disappear as rapidly as they arrived. What I found super amazing was that that the yellows and reds at the ends of their tails and wings appear as if they’d been dipped in a super shiny acrylic paint (only prettier)!
The other thing I know is THEY know the females from the males probably at a glance, but the differentiation remains mostly in the realm of oblivion to us unless it’s blatantly obvious! Sigh.
Laura, supposedly the black patch under the chin is slightly darker in the male than in the female. But I believe that field mark isn’t completely reliable.
Beautiful pictures, one of my favorite birds!
Thanks, Theresa.
These beautiful birds are so smooth and sleek-looking.Their colors are so soft and subtle. They really look as though they’re made of wax…I’ve often wondered how they got their name….
You’re absolutely correct about their sleekness, Patty. In fact they’re sleek to the point that bird photographers on photo critique forums sometimes argue about whether or not an image of one of these birds is sharp because it doesn’t show any fine feather detail. They’re so sleek that detail can be very difficult to see, even when the image is tack sharp.
They get their name from the red, waxlike tips on the secondary flight-feathers of adult birds.
I wonder if it was the red of “Sealing wax” they were referring to…
“Sealing wax” is a much better description than mine. Thanks Patti!
The transformation of the bird in the last shot is quite amazing. I think Cedar Waxwings are one of the prettiest birds out there, so it’s nice to see these shots of them. I’m glad your mountains offer coolness – we’ve been having hot temperatures, too, but I doubt that going to our closest mountains would help – the only way to possibly get cooler temps would be to do a bunch of hiking…
“I think Cedar Waxwings are one of the prettiest birds out there”
I agree, Susan. Bohemian Waxwings are right up there too but I have even fewer opportunities with them.
Excellent images Ron. Beautiful.
Thanks, Dick.