He arrived just a day after the Memphis Commercial Appeal in West Tennessee featured waxwings on their front page.
It seems that a hard freeze in one area caused berries to rupture and ferment and a flock of waxwings were noticed by many to be acting strangely, colliding with objects and flying 'under the influence'. Not humorous for the birds, to say the least, but according to Cornell this is apparently not rare either. What a mean trick from mother nature. Below, a few more photos of cedar waxwings. I encountered this group a week ago while on a walk near the Hiwassee Refuge. They arrived in a band of fifty or more and were enjoying privet berries. Privet is an invasive, non-native, berry producing shrub said to be less nutritious than our native berries and one of the last selected for feasting by wandering wintering flocks.
I'd say from all the chattering and berry picking going on, these birds weren't complaining.
Thanks for the pictures of the waxwings. They are so pretty and I see them so seldom.
ReplyDeleteI think privet has been used for hedges all around the world but with that amount of berries its no wonder it gets out of its neat plantings. I especially like the photo of the bird with the berry in its mouth.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. I am new to bird watching, and I hope to see a waxwing soon. I plan on putting fruit out for the orioles..I'm hoping it may attract a waxwing or two.
ReplyDeleteHi Vickie-I love to watch waxwings tossing back berries. It's too bad that they cannot smell or otherwise avoid the fermented ones. They are so lovely in flocks - they almost glitter with the flashing colors!
ReplyDeleteInteresting learning about cedar waxwings and the fermented berries. I've never seen a waxwing, they sure do look attractive in your photos.
ReplyDeleteIt's so weird..I posted last night about how I would like to see a Cedar Waxwing. As God as my witness, I woke up this morning, looked out the window, and had 20 of them sitting in my tree. My jaw hit the ground!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting bird.. Never seen one quite like that... :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, everyone.
ReplyDeleteCedar waxwings are such a striking bird and fun to see because they come in chattering flocks and leave almost as quickly as they arrive.
James, what state are you in? I got a laugh out of your waking discovery! So glad they were accomodating. Fun!
Hi Vickie,
ReplyDeleteI am in Missouri...close to St. Louis. What state was your sighting in? It appeared as if the small flock was just passing through.
Both sightings were in east Tennessee.
ReplyDeleteOne spring I had a visit from Cedar Waxwings to my north Atlanta garden and they chowed down on the liriope berries. Would love to cut it back today but am holding out for a possible Cedar Waxwing visit. I hope I haven't missed them.
ReplyDeleteI love waxwings, these are stunning photos, i didn't know though that they could get drunk like that...
ReplyDeleteI heard they can die from overindulging in fermented berries. They overdose, get drunk and keel over.
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