Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Bohemian Waxwing Winter Pastel I








Visiting flocks of Bohemian Waxwings create quite a stir in the crabapple orchard. The colorful markings seem as if painted around their eyes, under the chin, rump and tail feathers. Try to find the tiny bit of red in their wing feather composition. The male and female look pretty much the same and they have made eating fruit a true specialty. If you ever notice them wobbling on the limb they may have over indulged in fermented fruit, the intoxication could possibly cause their death. I do not see my visitors here acting strange... quite the opposite as they have become very clever in harvesting the tiny crabapples. The seeds will go though their digestive system and perhaps a new crabapple seedling will emerge in time from their droppings. They are a joy anytime of year but especially in the long winter months. My photos were taken with a lens and the added lens of the window glass as these birds are very shy. The photos remind me of pastel paintings.
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