Cedar Waxwings at the Arboretum

They are one of my favorite birds, and I've been waiting and hoping to see them. In springtime, I often see the cedar waxwings move through the Arboretum grounds. They move in large groups, and they make quite a bit of commotion as they eat every single berry that is available.

But this morning, they surprised me. I had finished taking a quick stroll around the Arboretum and was opening my car door, getting ready to leave, when I turned and saw them all sitting sedately on the tree behind my car, barely making a sound. So I quietly pulled out my camera and got off four shots of the birds before they flew away - this was the final one.

The thing that I like best about cedar waxwings is how pretty and delicate their markings are. They look almost like painted silk. I imagine an artist (or perhaps a whole group of artists) painting them: each bird, sitting quietly for a few minutes while the brush is dipped in color, then gently touched to its silk; then each bird flying away, being careful to let the paint dry before getting it wet, lest it drip and run.  :-)

In other news, spring has come to the Arboretum, and daffodils and other early blooms abound. Last spring, I posted a photo of the Arboretum's famous Witness Tree with daffodils all around it, looking toward the children's garden. In the extras is its companion piece: a shot of the same scene, but looking in the opposite direction.

In honor of the pretty little painted birds, the cedar waxwings (those thieves of hearts!), the song to accompany this posting is Neil Young, with The Painter.