Waxwings returning for the harvest.

I thank all of you for the nice compliments.  There have been several hundred Bohemian Waxwings in the mid-town business district a few blocks south of my house, for several weeks. The grounds and parking lots of several large office towers are landscaped with a variety of fruit bearing trees and shrubs, which the waxwings have been feeding on. This is a high volume traffic area, both vehicle and pedestrian. I was surprised today, how accustomed they had become to the constant commotion. Some of the best shots today where taken only 6 to 10 feet from the birds. However, the Waxwings are in a state of almost constant motion. Moving ever minute of two. Numerous times birds flew past with in inches of my head. I took so many good pictures, it's hard to decide witch ones to post.
Gary

This message was edited Dec 14, 2007 8:56 PM

It is hard to believe there is almost no snow on the ground here, in mid December. Especially, when much of the lower forty-eight is being dumped on by a sever winter storm. These Waxwings are in a ten foot wide landscaped island between the street and a bank parking lot.

Whoops, I forgot to resize this shot! Took forever to upload!

Gary


This message was edited Dec 15, 2007 5:32 PM

This picture was taken in the shadow of a building. Notice the difference in the color of the bird in the shade, and the ones above, in the direct sun light.

One last picture for tonight. Photographed in the direct sun, this bird looks tan. The bird in the shot above looks more grayish in the shade.

Hey, Gary - I've been on Dave's Garden for awhile and had no idea this forum was here - d'oh! The waxwings are also hanging out in the downtown area as well. Huge flock of them yesterday and today by Resolution Park (where the Captain Cook statue is). Sadly, when the large trucks would go by they startled. Three or four (just in the hour I was there watching) flew into windows of the office building across the street as a result. Two ravens and a magpie were quick to grab the fallen - nature can be harsh.

The birds seemed fairly calm with me there, several fed within 10-12 feet. And I too had to scrap the berry "detritus" from my head, shoulders, camera, etc. - and I thought my parrots were messy feeders!

I would love to get my mountain ash trees large enough to encourage the birds, but so far they remain "thick-trunked shrubs" thanks to my local neighborhood moose.

Karen,
Glad my posting the link on AKbird, lite the path for you. After all, I was plotting to direct a few more local birder/photographers, in this direction. Spread the word.

Great detail on the birds. However, I avoid shooting from that angle. For obvious reasons!

Gary,

P.S.
I hate moose living in the city, also. When I was in grade school and learned: In India cows where sacred and roamed the streets, - I concluded the Indians were all crazy. Now I live in a city with those same crazy Ideas. I believe moose belong in the deep freezer.

Gary, you wrote: "However, I avoid shooting from that angle. For obvious reasons!"

Ha. I'm used to being "under the vent". I live with parrots. Just a part of the package.

I don't mind the moose, but it does bother me to think we (okay, me) might just be messing with their normal diet. My degree is in Hort., so I tend to try out weird/unusual plants (ones certainly not indigenous in this part of the world). The moose have left many alone for years, but the past couple years they hit some of them hard. I'm all for expanding tastebuds, but I'm not sure it's all that healthy for the moose.

Which leads me to wonder....if a moose falls in my yard, and there's no one around to see it, does that mean they won't see me put it in my freezer??? :-)

Right you are Karen, and the same by laws include sending me the backstrap. And I think section 8 of the bagging game rules allow 3 tourists per season, and you don't have to gut them out before you bring them home. Don't you just philosophy and photography in the bitter cold?
Signed, another subsistance hunter and friend of Gary,
Carol

LOL

Good Morning or should I say good middle of the night that my wife calls it when I get up. The Bohemians have been around Palmer and Wasilla for better than a month but never in huge flocks. While you were in that marvelous light yesterday we were in ice fog. Yuck.
Heres one of mine from a bit earlier.
Doug

What a nice way for me to start my day by looking at your gorgeous photosof these spectacular birds!!

Beautiful pics Karen,Gary and Doug!

Carol & Karen,
Some old timers claim: Pickup trucks stopped on the Trail River bridge, on winter nights, because bones dumped over the rail, disappeared in the fast flowing water below.

The Waxwings were behind Northrim Bank again today. There was a heavy overcast. The light was minimal at best. I took 84 shots. Most weren't any good. I've already dumped most, only have 9, and expect to discard some of them. I did like a few. This was the best one, of the day.

This message was edited Dec 15, 2007 6:29 PM

I like this shot, but it would have been much better, with bright light to reduce blur of the flopping wing.

I like the composition of this picture. But, it’s under exposed, after lighting it on the computer. Any more adjusting destroys the quality.
I'm beyond the point of needing a vacation in a warm sunny location.
Gary

How gorgeous these birds are. And you are so bold to live in Alaska with those short days. And I thought it was bad in Illinois in the winter!!!!

We had a partly cloudy day.  The first time I went out to photograph Waxwings, I couldn't find any in a sunny spot. The second try was a charm.  I found a small tree in the sun full of birds. I took a lot of good shots.  I'll post a few.

I had to return to the truck and worm my shutter finger several times.

Between attempts to photograph Waxwings, I roamed the Government Hill neighborhood, along with more than a dozen other local bird nuts. We were looking for a Eurasian Finch, the Brambling. Today only one person spotted it for a few seconds.

Feeding the Waxwings often look like traipse performers.

Or perhaps contortionists.

More beautiful pics Gary! Thanks for posting them we really appreciate it!

Good luck with the Brambling! Saw a couple of hundred of them yesterday.

Resin