Adult Cedar Waxwing on top of a willow thicket – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I was happy to photograph an adult Cedar Waxwing perched on top of a willow thicket in Morgan County high in the Wasatch Mountains four days ago. After very low numbers in this area last year I am seeing and hearing more Cedar Waxwings again. Last year I believe their numbers were down because of the lack of serviceberries and chokecherries that our drought caused. This year those trees and shrubs are producing fruit. The serviceberries are nearly ripe now.
We haven’t gotten enough moisture to break the drought this spring and summer but we have gotten enough rain high in the mountains to help the berries form.
About three weeks ago I found a nesting pair of Cedar Waxwings in Morgan County which delighted me.
Cedar Waxwing with a raised crest – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Spending just a few moments with this adult Cedar Waxwing lifted my spirits. I could hear other waxwings calling in the area but I kept focused on this adult.
This adult Cedar Waxwing didn’t have red waxy tips on its wings. Those red tips may have broken off.
The background in these images is a tree covered mountain slope that was still in the shadows of the mountain tops that were east of this Cedar Waxwing. I liked the darker background because it seemed to make this waxwing glow in the morning light.
I frequently hear Cedar Waxwings before I see them. During this time of the year I find them most often in riparian habitats high in the Wasatch and Uinta Mountain ranges.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Cedar Waxwing photos plus facts and information about this species.
Thanks to you, the Cedar Waxwing has become one of my top five faves. Beautiful pics of an incredibly beautiful bird. Thanks Mia.
It is wonderful that you are seeing them again. I hope that they survive and thrive this year.
Lovely photos. It is good they returned after last years hardships. Yes I am hearing them this year but they are always in the tops of the trees. I had a conversation with my new friends in the area about the waxwings, apparently waxwings are abundant in Texas but they had not noticed them in this area. They laughed when I said women can hear them more than men, something about the high tone. I pointed a few out on the tops of the scrub oak.