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ctfchallenge | all galleries >> Challenge 151 - BIRDS >> Challenge151 - Exhibition > At the Pub
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13-MAY-2007 Michael Shealy

At the Pub

Colorado Springs, CO

Cedar Waxwings
Bombycilla cedrorum

"Waxwings are a particularly sociable species. It is not unusual to see a row of them perched on a branch, passing a berry or an insect down the line and back again, bill to bill, in a ceremony that ends when one swallows the food. THe birds wander in flocks whose arrivals and departures are unpredictable." -Reader's Digest; North American Wildlife - Birds

Canon EOS 20D ,Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
1/250s f/5.0 at 170.0mm iso400 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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ctfchallenge26-Jan-2008 21:48
J.V. - These birds migrate from Southern United States to Canada, apparently from coast to coast, but without predictable flight paths, so being near Colorado probably won't help. I've only seen them here twice in 20 years. Penny - I looked thru all my bird books and they all mention the red detail on the secondary flight feathers but made no distinction as to whether it is a sex determinant. I see they almost all have it, but for the one in the foreground. Thanks for the comments. Cheers, -mikey
ctfchallenge23-Jan-2008 01:51
Wow these are really neat little birds with masked faces. They seem to all have yellow at the bottom pf their wings but does the red detail indicate the sex?
Thanks for sharing...
Penny STreet
J.V. 21-Jan-2008 15:33
This is a really nice looking bird. I've never seen one before, but now that I live closer to Colorado, I'll keep my eyes out for them
ctfchallenge20-Jan-2008 01:23
Thanks for commenting, Maryanne. I guess that's why they call them "Waxwings"; nothing tricky, honest. You can see the feather detail in the primary flight feathers, see. Also, note the detail on the crock dish. ":^) They migrate thru here in great flocks, Spring and Fall. Very cool birds. I love the guy on the other side of the dish, checking out the fracas. Cheers, -mikey
ctfchallenge19-Jan-2008 19:12
Michael, I love the smooth texture of their bodies. It hardly looks as if they have feathers. Is this the way they actually are, or have you done some PP to get the effect?
--Mary Anne