Audubon's Christie Anderberg reports on the arrival of Cedar Waxwings on Audubon's Ahhochee Hill in Hernando County. Have these remarkable birds arrived in your neighborhood yet?
Its that time of year… ripening berries, first red, then a deep wine color. Followed by the pale brown, grey and yellows of the bird. Add bright yellow to the tail and a few dots of red to the wings, then the drama of a black mask outlined in white. But not just one, a whole flock of them, sitting side by side feasting on the fruit and occasionally passing them along to each other.
Cedar Waxwings have arrived, right on time with the ripening red mulberry trees. These beautiful birds are around just long enough to take advantage of our early berry season. As weather allows the food source to develop, they work (and eat) their way to our far north for a relatively late start in the breeding season before settling into nesting. Cedar Waxwings are one of very few birds than can survive on just fruit for months at a time. When the nestlings hatch, they are fed a diet of insects for just a few short days, then berries it is!
Such beauty and incredible instinct. Its nice to have them around for even this short time while they eat their way north.
