Sheila’s Bird Shots: ~Cedar Waxwing~
gazing down at me
onyx eyes tell a story
leave me be, resting
By Sheila: August 23, 2013
I photographed these Cedar Waxwings in March, 2013 at South Llano State Park. Waxwings are gregarious and true to this description I saw many of them.
Red, waxy tips on secondary wing feathers are often indistinct and sometimes absent altogether. All waxwings have sleek crests, silky plumage and yellow-tipped tails. Where berries are ripening, waxwings come to feast in amiable, noisy flocks. [description taken from one of my favorite birding books “National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America.]
The “Smithsonian Handbook: Birds of North America, Western Region” states the description of the red, waxy tips differently. It states – the purpose of the “red wax” is long-debated, but younger birds do not have it and the older birds that do often choose each other as mates and produce more young that the younger pairs.
Waxwings eats fruit, flower petals and insects; and drinks sap. One way to distinguish between males and females is the color of the throat. Females have a brownish throat, the males a blackish throat.
![Cedar Waxwing [Hmm, taking a break]](https://wolfsongblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/img_7957-2.jpg)
I might have mentioned before, South Llano State Park in Junction, Texas is one of my all time favorites.
[this photo taken in November, 2011
Really like the sunset also.
Thanks much! You and yours have a pleasant weekend!
Love the bird images and the sunset too!
Thanks Mia! I am glad you have gotten your web-site changed over and up and running. I know how stressful that must have been.
Thanks Sheila, it was very stressful and now I am still getting caught up on all the posts I missed on everyone’s blogs.
What a Mask! I sure hope I get to see one sometime! Your photos are grrrrrreaaattt! k
I hope you do as well! They are Beautiful. I have not forgotten that I still need to copy my Life List spreadsheet for you.
You are such a birder Sheila. You bring back fond memories of my dear departed friend Barb with your posts.
LuAnn, I am very happy to have reminded you of your dear friend!
I have lots of bird photos. 🙂
Lovely shots of the waxwings and interesting info!
Katie, it amazes me that I can pick up my very used Bird guide and learn something new. Not to infer I know a lot. It is just fun! So much one can learn about our feathered friends! I did not know the difference between the male and female Waxwings until I went to post this piece. Thanks so much for writing, happy birding!