Last Sunday we had again a flock of Cedar Waxwings around here. They were joined by a large number of American Robins. Both species seem to enjoy the heated bird baths for sipping some water between their meals in the red cedars around here. I wasn’t home for the last couple days and don’t know yet if the cold weather has forced them out of the area. We don't have snow on the ground yet but a few snow flurries made clear that winter isn't far away...
A few days ago I mentioned that we had some visitors at the bird bath. Like every fall the American Robins flock together in larger numbers and are joined by some Cedar Waxwings.
The waxwings are some of the prettiest birds we see here occasionally. Their main target at this time are obviously the juniper berries on the Red Cedars (which is not a true cedar but a juniper), that grow here between the rocks and on the steep valley slopes.
Finally I got a shot of the female Yellow-rumped Warbler that we have seen several times lately.
I have a ball watching the birds that hang around here in the timber and our front and back yard in big numbers at the moment. There is a big flock of American Robins that was here every day this week and the birds enjoyed bathing and drinking at the bird bath. With them was an "ear-full" of Cedar Waxwings. We had very warm weather today (T-shirt time in November!) but this is changing while I'm writing this and I wonder if the birds will move further south if the temperature will drop in the next few hours. Today I tried to keep the white bird bath out of the frame and finally got the shots that I really wanted to make. I hope you enjoy. Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!
We keep track about all the wildlife we have around the house since we live here in Eastern Iowa. Some species are here all the time while others have been sighted only ones within the last eight years. One bird that we see briefly almost every spring and fall is the Cedar Waxwing. Sometimes they come in big flocks and feed on the berries in the cedar trees. Unfortunately I have never been able to make a good image that I would have liked to share with you here in the blog or over in my Iowa wildlife gallery at Pbase. www.pbase.com/deadmoon
Today I watched a couple American Robins drinking out of the birdbath in front of the house. Suddenly they were joined by two Cedar Waxwings and that made me running for the camera, tripod, and long lens. They are such wonderful looking birds and in this matter I don't mind that the birdbath is in the frame. The leaf in the water, the bird that just took off, the colors, they all tell the story of autumn and bird migration. Can't ask for more...
