The Feast of the Waxwings

Description

Bohemian waxwings are a favourite winter bird in my area (Ottawa). They are usually seen in very large flocks, often of several hundred. Sometimes the occasional Cedar waxwing are also mixed in with the flock. Waxwings tend to swarm any bushes with edible berries, often devouring everything in sight in relatively short periods of time. On the grey day that I took this photograph there was a small flock of about 70 individuals feeding on a large number of scrubby bushes (probably buckthorn). There was a huge number of berries still present on these bushy. I decided to return to the same area the next day to continue photographing the Bohemians, only to find every bird and every berry gone!

Taken By

Ian MacLatchy

Taken On

February 22, 2023

Tagged

waxwing waxwings bohemian bohemianwaxwing winter birds berries buckthorn ontario finch bird animal beak jay