Cedar waxwings, among the most congenial of birds, may be observed alone, in pairs or in small family groups during the late spring and summer months. By early autumn, however, they tend to form large, nomadic flocks, wandering the countryside in search of insects and berries; this behavior generally continues through early spring.
This morning, at Perry Phillips Lake in Columbia, I was pleased to encounter 72 of these attractive birds, feasting in berry shrubs or fly-catching from trees along lake; three separate flocks were spaced along the shoreline. Not skittish by nature, these serene travelers posed for identification as I wandered by or stopped to observe their sociable activity.
Of course, the large waxwing flocks promised that we are leaving summer behind (even though the autumn equinox is still two weeks away). I, for one, will gladly accept their message.
