It is hard to believe that summer is still upon us when I walk outside in the chilly air reminiscent of an autumn day. Frighteningly enough, there are already some leaves that have started to change color. Indeed, there is that air of late summer finality leaving its mark on the entire backyard. Vegetables have been harvested, flowers are no longer blooming, the grass is growing at a snail’s pace, and, of course, our feathered friends are switching into second gear in preparation for the cooler days ahead.
The yard has been abuzz with the whirl of constant bird activity: flocks of goldfinches, clusters of chickadees, and bands of blue jays all feverishly vying for the same spot at the feeder. Not to mention, there are also quite a few more unusual birds that have flitted through the yard in the past few days. My elusive Baltimore Oriole friends were back, taunting some orange tomatoes in the garden; I heard the familiar call of the Cedar Waxwings; and I saw a pair of majestic Evening Grosbeaks, who stayed in the yard for two days. The feast has begun! Not only is a banquet set out for the birds, but a banquet of color and activity for the birdwatcher. (That is, of course, if you take the time to fill the feeders four times a day. It is becoming a full time job!)
I received a very interesting article via e-mail from Clarke of Comollo Antiques. Correspondent Steve Faccio, in his article which appeared recently in the Rutland Herald, explored the habits of the somewhat elusive Cedar Waxwing. Aside from the usual information about this nomadic bird, known for its striking appearance and insatiable appetite for fruit, I did learn some pretty neat things. For example, if a waxwing eats a great deal of berries while it is growing a new tail feather, the feather will be orange instead of the usual yellow. Another rather intriguing, but certainly logical, fact: because of their mainly-fruit diet, waxwings are prone to intoxication and death from eating too much fermented fruit. “Two cases from California implicate fermented palm fruits in mass mortality of cedar waxwings. Forty-two birds from a flock of about 200 died in late winter after eating fermented palm fruits. Similarly, 31 birds that were eating palm fruits died over a 2-week period in early spring. Also, two cedar waxwings died from falling to the ground after apparently becoming intoxicated from eating fermented hawthorn fruits; their crop contents and livers showed elevated concentrations of ethanol.” You learn something new every day.
Don’t forget to e-mail me at chickadee@att.net with your questions, comments, and sightings! Happy Birding!
No comments:
Post a Comment