Birds and Nature

I am back😀 I spotted some Cedar Waxwings in a couple of crab apple trees located right next to busy 9th Street in Canon City.   There were about 20 to 25 birds in the flock.  I have had a flock of about the same size visit my yard a number of times in October to feed on crab apples and other small fruit, but couldn't get any reasonable pics of them. Several more pics, just click on Read More.  SeEtta

Both the Western Tanager and Lazuli Bunting are first of the year birds in Canon City (tho I saw W Tanager on S Padre Island 2 weeks ago so not my first of the year). I spotted 4-5 male Western Tanagers in a one mile walk on the Canon City Riverwalk. Heard a lot more Lazuli Buntings than observed--just this one observed, heard at least 4-5 others singing. This Black-headed Grosbeak had been singing up a storm as were several more of his species today and in the past few days. At least a dozen Cedar Waxwings were in the feeding on fruit of hackberry trees and on tender new buds in other trees in Veteran's Park. I also spotted a first of the year for Canon City male Rose-breasted Grosbeak on the tip top of a 60+ ft tall cottonwood so no pics, and likely a female but too many branches and leaves in that distance to be sure. And I spotted a first of the year for Canon City male Bullock's Oriole but in top of tall tree so no pic for him either. SeEtta

In addition to migrating landbirds I found a large flock of Cedar Waxwings this past week along the Arkansas River in Canon City. There are more than 25 in this photo and about twice that many in total in the tree. SeEtta

While continuing my surveys of wintering sapsuckers in the Canon City, CO area I took a few minutes to enjoy a small flock of Cedar Waxings feeding in hackberry tree in Rouse Park. This particular bird had a heck of a itch in it's bill area and spent a lot of time scratching as shown in the bottom two pics. SeEtta

I stopped at the Canon City Riverwalk for a short time this morning to see what might be around while I drank a cup of coffee after my class. I heard then saw 1 Cedar Waxwing, something akin the poster child for an oxymoron (we always expect to see them in a flock and only rarely find one alone). I walked a little further and soon heard the sounds of more several Cedar Waxwings including this one. SeEtta

I really like the top pic as it shows not only the juniper berry in the Cedar Waxwing's bill, but also a little of the inside of bird's bill and a nice view of it's pretty eye. I added the bottom pic because it shows off the crest that has been flattened in my other pics. SeEtta

This morning I went looking for Cedar Waxwings to check out what they are feasting on. I found Cedar Waxwings in an additional location in Canon City today--that makes three different locations so far with two locations far enough apart there evidently at least 2 flocks in town. As shown in the top pic, juniper berries were on the menu again. Most photographers only show pics in which the bird's head is seen and I tend to be the same way; however, I thought the bottom pic provided an interesting back view that shows the wings and tail quite nicely. SeEtta

I caught the bird in the top pic just as it reached for a juniper berry. Some of the birds, including this one, seemed to believe they were hidden from me by the juniper branches or foilage and continued their feast as though I wasn't there. Here is a close-up of the red areas of their wings and yellow at end of tail feathers that are so distinctive of this species. SeEtta

Earlier this week I found a flock of at least 25 Cedar Waxwings that were literally devouring the berries in several 15 foot tall juniper trees near the Arkansas River in Canon City, CO. I was able to get pretty close to them, less than 20 feet away so I got a few close-ups (yes, I might have got even crisper pics with my camera on a tripod instead of handheld; but I doubt that I could have got as close again to them after returning to my car for my tripod and I think these came out pretty good) I returned to this area and the waxwings had stripped all of the berries from these junipers except small patches that were close to the traffic driving on the adjacent busy street next to the trees. Cedar Waxwings are truly very efficient eating machines. SeEtta