Here are my Birdtober posts so far:
Week 1 (October 1-4): (Plush-crested Jay, American Robin, Mountain Bluebird, Giant Kingfisher)
Week 2 (October 5 - 10): (Eastern Plantain-eater, Red-winged Blackbird, Cardinals, Black-headed Heron, Gray Crowned-Crane, Speckled Mousebird)
Week 3 (October 11-18): (Red-billed Firefinch, House Wren, White-necked Crow, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-eyed Dove, Rüppell's Starling, House Sparrow)
Week 4:
Day 20: Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill
At most of these links you can find the prompts I'm using.
Today's bird is the Cedar Waxwing. I've seen them eight times, in South Dakota, Kentucky, and Tennessee. They are such lovely birds.
Cedar Waxwing
The natty Cedar Waxwings,
while always quite well-dressed
sometimes steal other birds’ supplies
when building a new nest.
They eat so much delicious fruit
that they get drunk on lunch
but also dine on flowers
or a bug or two to crunch.
They give small gifts while courting
and hang out after snacks.
They’re dapper in appearance,
with wings tipped, bright, with wax.
Disreputable bandits
yet charming, friendly fellows:
natty Cedar Waxwings
in grays and browns and yellows.
©Ruth Bowen Hersey
Come back next week for links to all my 2024 Birdtober posts! Carol has this week's roundup.
10 comments:
Thank you for sharing the Cedar Waxwing, Ruth. I have never seen one, but the peachy-tan crown, the red tip of the wing, and the black eye mask are a fascinating combination!
I love "dapper" and "natty" in here. I saw (or maybe just noticed) one of these for the first time in the wild in the past year. It's amazing how smooth they are!
The Cedar Waxwing looks like a 3-D bowl of orange-lemon sherbet! Beautiful!
I've seen them on the western slope but not on the side I live, Ruth. They are so special to see, and your poem shows it all! I loved "Disreputable bandits
yet charming, friendly fellows:" and their cheeky call.
Once when I was fly fishing in Maine, a cedar waxwing landed on the tip of my rod!
Oh, this is delightful! I didn't know much about the cedar waxwing until Diana Sudyka illustrated a page of them in a picture book we did together! I love knowing more of their 'backstory'!
Ruth, your assortment of dazzling birds is amazing. I think the cardinal is the only bird of rich color that I have seen so thanks for always sharing your knowledge. Your poem provides information in an appealing way. quite well-dressed-Disreputable bandits
That bird is beautiful!
Ruth, I counld not get into you post using the link so I searched online and wrote my comment. Unfortunately, the internet is wonky in places. I did glance through your birdtober month blogs.I loved seeing the colorful birds and reading your poem that shares information on a bird that I have never seen.
I don't think I've ever seen a Cedar Waxwing, but I just learned so much about it. :D Thank you!
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