Yesterday, as the sun was poised to drop behind the Front Range, a flock of sixty or more cedar waxwings descended on our farm. These nomads of the bird world typically move about in large flocks for most of the year, seeking berry-producing shrubs and trees. Our visitors settled in a few bare deciduous trees adjacent to a row of junipers.
Unlike many flocking species, waxwings are remarkably calm and cooperative; naturally gregarious, they are very tolerant of one another, rarely bickering or competing for food. Part of the flock will usually perch patiently in nearby trees while the rest of the group drops into the berry patch to feed. Also fond of flower petals (especially fruit blossoms), these attractive and amiable birds often pass a berry or petal down the line until one decides to eat it.
True to their nomadic lifestyle, waxwings may spend a day or two in the neighborhood and then move on. Adventurous, cooperative and friendly, they possess traits that we humans would do well to emulate!
