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Cedar waxwings enjoy the wild fruits of late summer

By JIM NIGRO

This small cluster of cedar waxwings was part of a larger flock that recently descended on a nearby meadow. Whether they came to feast on wild grapes or poke berries, I couldn't say, but they were present in large numbers. And that is how they travel, arriving by the hundreds to feast on ripe berries. 

A closeup of the above photo reveals one of the birds preening below its left wing.

A lone waxwing on one of the uppermost branches of the tree.

And as suddenly as the cedar waxwings appear, they will leave the same way, quickly vacating an area once they've exhausted the food supply. The speciman above momentarily enjoys the sun...

before deciding to preen its feathers.

One late summer/early autumn many years ago, I was paddling on the Tonawanda when I witnessed firsthand the massive flock movements of foraging cedar waxwings. I was a quarter mile upstream from our home in an area where ancient black willows line both banks, their uppermost branches forming a canopy over the creek. Wild grape vines had scaled many of those trees, making their way into the branches high above the water.

On that quiet and sunny day I remember hearing a rustling noise, much like a snake makes as it crawls through dry leaves. Anyway, looking around and not seeing anything, I finally looked up. There must have been dozens, if not hundreds of cedar waxwings gorging themselves on the wild grapes. I found it to be quite an outdoor moment and obviously I've not forgotten it...I doubt I ever will.

JIM NIGRO

For what its worth, those wild grapes are edible. Claudia and I once filled two large shopping bags with clusters of wild grapes while walking an old railroad bed. While tart when eaten off the vine, they make a great tasting jam.

However, one needs to be wary when plucking wild fruits....for example, when ripe the burgundy-colored berries of poke weed look inviting but they are toxic to humans.

Sep 15, 2012, 8:23am Permalink
Billie Owens

Maybe it was a flock of cedar waxwings that startled me a couple weeks ago. I was sitting in my office, which has a big picture window and faces the backyard, and I'd bet at least 50 birds came swooshing down and descended in my yard and the bird fountain. Then just as quickly, they all flew off together. That was a first for me.

Sep 15, 2012, 1:17pm Permalink

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