Even a halfhearted rouse can drastically change the appearance of a bird.
I have an early morning task to complete so today’s post will be noticeably shorter than most.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Cedar Waxwings are normally pretty sleek looking birds but when this one performed a less than energetic rouse “he” instantly transformed into a feathered version of the Pillsbury Doughboy. He’s almost as wide as he is tall. I don’t think he puffed up to keep warm because it wasn’t a particularly cold morning so maybe he was sunning and exposing as much feather surface area to the sun’s cleansing rays as possible in an effort to deal with annoying feather parasites. He stayed puffed up for some time and it’s a technique well known in birds.
So far this year I’ve had no success with Cedar Waxwings. This photo was taken in the Wasatch Mountains just over two years ago.
Ron
Handsome fat fellow.
OMG, Ron!! What a capture!! He/she doesn’t even look like the same bird!! Glad you shared it!! I have some friends who are lucky to see them when migrating thru & I HAVE to share your capture with them – they will love it!!
What a cool shot Ron!
Thank you, Dave.
We did not see any of these in south Florida this past winter or spring. Maybe hopes for seeing them in the fall. Such handsome birds! In spring they eat the buds of the Bald Cedars, appropriately.
Yes, very appropriately.
Ron, I agree with Arwen…”what a handsome bird”. The red and yellow tips on the wing are quite unique, as far as I know [which isn’t much].Thank you, Ron
Alice, Bohemian Waxwings have similar markings but as far as I know no other North American birds do.
Wonderful image. Sadly I manage the puffed up look better than the sleek one.
I hope your early morning appointment went well.
Thanks, EC. It wasn’t exactly an appointment but it’s behind me now.
This is the only time I’ve ever seen a Cedar Waxwing fluffed up…I’ve only seen them looking super smooth and sleek….like made of wax…though I know their name comes from the bright red bit of sealing “wax” on their wings…
I don’t see them often that way either, Patty.
Hi Ron! The Cedar Waxwings must be up here in the West Kootenays as this is the first year that I have been able to get some good shots of them. I will tell them it is now time to go see Ron in Utahš
Hi Shirley. Oh they’re here, I see them fairly regularly. I just haven’t found one with a single cooperative bone in its body!
Funny! š We do have a few in the yard this spring/summer. Probably always here it’s just they aren’t noticeable in summer and REALLY hard to hear with all the other bird chatter. Challenge in summer to photograph also as it’s amazing how well they blend in. š Don’t think I’ve ever seen one in a rouse before. Got over an inch of rain in about a half hour last evening! GEEZ this ground just isn’t made to handle that – lane turned into a river….
Wow, that’s a lot of rain in such a short time, Judy. That much that fast would turn our tiny creek on the farm into a raging river. Well, maybe not raging, but still…
The tiny tips of yellow and red made me smile. What a handsome fellow.
He is indeed.
Brought a smile to my face. Looks like he managed to swallow a tennis ball. I just listened to some recordings; quite sure I couldnāt hear one either unless it was on my shoulder, and maybe not then. Itās like a hearing test where you think you may be imagining a high-pitched sound.
Lyle, their call isn’t a loud one at all but I easily hear softer sounds than they make. Maybe it’s a tone thing for me.
So I went “googling” to learn what might be the function of those colorful waxy feather tips, and found a “Feathered Photography” article on the subject dated almost exactly a year
ago with good information ( as usual ) !– June 23rd, 2018—don’t know how I missed it last year—love the info you impart–thanks .
That’s good to know, Kris. Sometimes google search results can be a little…. quirky.
We have not see the Waxwings yet, but when they come they take over the neighborhood. And sleek is the right description. Have never seen one of them looking like this. Great photo. Like Marty’s Don King.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Everett, I’ve been seeing them in the mountains for weeks now but none of them have shown the smallest inclination to be cooperative.
“feathered version of the Pillsbury Doughboy” This! Exactly! (With a little of Don King’s hair.) Even as a puffball, there’s something sleek about these guys.
I like your Don King addition, Marty!
What a neat photo! šAnd you caught both the red and yellow tips to boot. Yes you certainly don’t see them ‘fluffy’ very often. They are starting to send out ‘scouts’ checking out my service-berry trees but the berries are still green. Going outdoors I’m hearing their ‘tsee-tsee-tsee’ coming from the trees. Soon.
Kathy, It’s weird but I can’t hear them. I have good hearing and Mia can hear them but I almost never can.
Mia has exceptional hearing AND eyesight.