Cedar Waxwings

“You could do worse than to spend your days staring at blue jays.”
― Julie Zickefoose, Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Hard-Luck 

The long awaited day is here!  Waxwings!
They are a little later this year, but they are HERE.

This is from 2 years ago. I sort of tweaked it.

Finally, finally will be able to clean off the flagstone walk of Yaupon berries!  They are so messy when ripe.
We have been tracking black over ripe berries in the house for a week or more.

I don't know if I wrote this tale before...
We have a friend in the Austin area who is an animal rescuer and one day, about this time of year, several moms brought their children with sick birds in little boxes.
He checked them over and told the worried kids and moms that they were not sick.
They were DRUNK.
It seems that when berries from various Yaupon and other bushes ripen and fall, they can ferment.
Our friend "drenched" ....(flushed their bellies with water)
and they staggered around for a bit and when they were more active, he returned the birds in their boxes to the happy moms and kids.

I will follow up with pictures if I can catch them.  The Waxwings are furtive.  They will come in, perch high in the tallest, leafless trees.
I have "felt" their arrival at times when I was gardening.

They will start on the berries on the "outside" of the bushes that are in our courtyard.  This will go on for days and when they have gleaned all there were, they will attack the berries on the window side of the house.
Finally, they will begin "clean up".  Gathering all the ones that were missed.
They have been here for several days and we never spied them as we are  not out in the garden area much anymore.

They will sit on the top branches of the trees, and then, as if told by the leader bird to go get em.  They come in in groups of about 10.  It is a feeding frenzy for a few minutes and they leave.  Soon, another group will fly in and go at the berries.  This will go on until every berry is gone from the 3 yaupon bushes

Last year, they even went to our bird baths for water and a quick dunk.

Now to wait to,hopefully,capture this year's visitors!

Waxwings are here!

 Welcome, welcome, little stranger,
Fear no harm, and fear no danger;
We are glad to see you here,
For you sing "Sweet Spring is near."

~Louisa May Alcott, "To The First Robin," 1840

The waxwings have been perching in our trees for about a week.  The days I attempted photographing them were always overcast and grey and very windy.  Yesterday, I drove in the driveway from shopping run.  There was a wild flurry of wings as the waxwings burst out of a Yaupon tree by our patio.

This morning, things are very different.  42° is not an auspicious time to walk out in robe and slippers.  "Just checking"   I was privileged to see dozens of waxwings settling in the tops of our tallest trees.  Fascinating!

I got so excited!  Turned around and hightailed back to the house and my camera. Hubby watching his nutty wife whiz through the living room.  I am sure he knew what was happening.

For the next 30 minutes or so, I was laughing and crying at the sight.  Dozens and dozens of waxwings would swoop on to the top most branches, only to be "crowded" by their companions.

At one point the branches were crowded with these beautiful birds.  

I started shooting pictures,  wishing I had my tripod.  Not really necessary, as it turns out.  Most of the photos are not blurry even catching birds in flight.  

My heart is full.

New year...new post

There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself. ~Ruth Stout

This winter has been quite mild here in North Texas.  We need moisture badly.  It misted yesterday and rained some last  night.  Morning temperature is 51°.
 

Things are happening.  Maybe it is really Spring or maybe a blip in nature's grand design.
It was 72° yesterday, overcast most of the day and little wind.

While out in the wreck of a garden, I was aware of "something"...  I have been scanning the taller bare branches of Cottonwood and Desert Willow.... 

The reason?  I had a sad demonstration that the Cedar Waxwings are a little early.  I found a waxwing dead on my patio.  No idea how it happened.  Birds fly into our windows at times when it is overcast and "bright".  

I knew this lovely creature was a scout for migrating waxwings and worried that maybe they would not return this year.

Thus the feeling of "something".  I scanned the higher branches and watched dozens of waxwings settle gracefully on them.  I did finally realize I needed my camera!

 Don't forget to
click on picture
for larger.
                                

 It feels so good to have something to want to write about.  The garden area was wrecked and washed out last Spring.  I have pondered and strolled the gravel paths I created trying to decide how to make the areas that need to go viable for wildflowers.  

 Another "happening" is daffodils.  Last Spring, I planned to move and feed the bulbs to make the
show more attractive.
That didn't happen and not a lot of bulbs are with
blossoms. 
The white multi flowered plants need food as they
have weak stems and not able to hold up the showy
heads.

There are a few year residentials that visit our feeders every year.  

 

 

Female Cardinal

White crowned sparrow and mystery bird

 I have only seen this sparrow
from a distance and never noticed
the definition of black cap.

Male house sparrow

Tufted Titmouse

Pine Siskin, Gold Finch

House Finch

Half the modern drugs could well be thrown out the window, except that the birds might eat them. ~Martin H. Fischer (1879–1962)
  




 A bird does not sing because it has an answer.  It sings because it has a song.  ~Chinese Proverb


My favorite
Birds of a feather flock together
AND CRAP UPON YOUR CAR.