Maisie and the Bohemian Waxwings

[LindaMC]

For the last few days my crab apple tree has been bombarded with Bohemian Waxwings, which is a first for me, I have never seen one up close and have lived here in Western MA for almost 9 years.  They love the berries on this tree.  I have been trying so hard to get some photographs of them but Maisie is on a mission to make sure that I don't.  I can get a lousy shot from inside my kitchen with the slider closed but it comes out blurry and if I open the door, Maisie shrieks and runs at top speed outside to the tree to try to catch them.  She seems to love chasing them off and yet, doesn't really care to go after the Robins.  Could it be that the Robins have been here for a while and she is use to them and the Waxwings are new to her?  Anyway, I am trying so hard to get a photo of these beautiful birds with their black masks and hopefully I will be able to do so before all the fruit is gone and so are the birds.

[hheldorfer]

Waxwings are beautiful birds.  I see them around here once in a while.  Right now the Robins have returned and are feasting on berries from my neighbor's crab apple trees.  Buffy pays no attention to them; Ziggy wants to play with them.  Weird dogs!

No idea why Maisie would go after the Waxwings but ignore the Robins.  Personal preference, I guess.

P.S.  "Maisie and the Bohemian Waxwings" is a great name for a band.

Edited March 3, 2016 by hheldorfer

[Lupinegirl]

Ooh, lucky you! I get Cedar Waxwings here occasionally. I see them maybe twice a year as they migrate through my area. Their little piping voices are so sweet. Ironically the bird of the month on my wall calendar is a Cedar Waxwing.  Bohemians are even more colorful than Cedars.

Hm. Maybe you could entice Maisie into the bathroom and close her up in there temporarily with a treat so that you can sneak out and get photos? (And then give her lots of attention to make up for it when you come back in).

[sanford]

4 hours ago, LindaMC said:

I have been trying so hard to get some photographs of them but Maisie is on a mission to make sure that I don't... She seems to love chasing them off...

Keep trying! Would like to see pix of the Bohemian Waxwings...

Maybe Maisie chases them off because the Waxwings are "Bohemian" and Maisie is "conservative"!?

Edited March 3, 2016 by sanford

[hheldorfer]

[Autumn & Lola]

I gave a 'like' to anyone who knows the names of actual birds.

Me:  I saw the prettiest bird just now!

Hubby:  Was it a *name of bird* or a *name of another bird* or *name of still another bird*

Me:  No clue. It was pretty.

 

P.S.  Helene painted that picture above. Not 'by the numbers' either.

 

Edited March 3, 2016 by Autumn & Lola

[Hillscreek]

What a talent Helene! It's beautiful. 

[Autumn & Lola]

[hheldorfer]

2 hours ago, Autumn & Lola said:

P.S.  Helene painted that picture above. Not 'by the numbers' either.

 

Autumn can lie better than a presidential candidate.   Good grief, I couldn't draw a decent stick figure with crayons!  The photo is from an Audubon Society website.

[Autumn & Lola]

Hee hee!!

[_whits_]

At least you all realized that Waxwing was a bird. I assumed it was some sort of creepy crawly bug in the silkworm family but that it must be MASSIVE since Maisie could see it across the yard. 

I am, perhaps to my detriment, not a bird person. I liked my brother's pet bird, and appreciate the passion of birdwatchers, but their beauty has been lost on me now. I returned to live at my parents for about a year after grad school only to discover they'd discovered a passion for feeding the local birds. There were feeders on every tree and even the picnic tables, and baths scattered in the front and back yards. The result was that my car (parked under some trees) and the most of the outdoor acreage (where I walked Addie) was one massive bird toilet. Goodness they make a mess. Never seen such tiny animals cover every surface with their droppings. My car's paint even started to wear, despite regular washing. 

And then today I walked through a public park in DC with yucky smelling green sidewalks thanks to the explosion of goose poop.

[remltr]

I don't know how this thread turned to poop buy you don't know poop until you have seen a Blue Heron strafing run.  My God!!!

BTW: You guys crack me up.

[LindaMC]

Okay, are you ready for it?  Drum roll please!!

 

Not quite a colorful as Helene's.  I'm not the best photographer in the world, that's for sure but luckily I have a Cannon with a 10X optical zoom lens.  I took this shot yesterday from my kitchen with the slider open and Maisie locked in the bathroom for a second...   I didn't have a choice, the minute I open the slider she bolts out the door so quickly that all I see is a trail of dust.  Anyway, I snapped a few photos but this turned out to be the best one with one bird actually looking at me and then the colorful tail on the other one looking away.  I don't think they'll be back, they have managed to just about deplete the entire tree of all it's berries, not leaving much for the Robins.

Edited March 4, 2016 by LindaMC

[_whits_]

Oh wow! They are pretty! Thanks for sharing. 

I won't tel Addie you held Maisie hostage and denied her yard time just to take a picture. 

[sanford]

Great photo... I was able to enlarge it and it's beautiful. Helene's Audubon Society painting of the Waxwing is probably idealized. I'm not a "birder", but I think that the feathers change color slightly during breeding season, which might be why the painted bird has that beautiful blush color on the head.

Spring is right around the corner - Get ready to lock Maisie in the bathroom again, for another shot of your Waxwings in their colorful "breeding" feathers.?

Edited March 5, 2016 by sanford

[Dempsy's Mom]

Beautiful bird indeed.  So that's a Waxwing well I'll be - I was with Whits & thinking it was a bug. 

[Lupinegirl]

Ironically the month of March on my wall calendar has a Cedar Waxwing as the featured bird.  This lovely photo was taken by Ben Thomas.  I've never been able to see my birdie visitors this closely through either binoculars or cameras so I had no idea they could be this colorful.  I read that the red tips on their wings are the reason for their namesake: "Waxwing." The feathers look like globs of wax. 

I'm glad you were able to enjoy your visitors, despite Maisie's objections.  

[LindaMC]

Beautiful photo!  I wish some Cedar Waxwings had visited too, they are so much more colorful than the Bohemians, although both species are gorgeous.   Spring is a great time for looking at birds, they grow so much more colorful as the breeding season begins to progress and hearing some of their songs can be so calming at times.  I see a lot more birds now that Tess is gone, she would scare them off by jumping up at the feeders due to her height, where Maisie is too little. 

Edited March 19, 2016 by LindaMC

[Idaho Cairns]

We have a resident flock of Cedar Waxwings who visit our tree out back.  They are such shy creatures but I absolutely love that "buff" color of the majority of their feathers.  It's just about time to get them back to the yard for Spring.  Can't wait.