At its own pace

Convivial Cedar Waxwings remain in summer mode well into fall

Laura Erickson

LATE EVERY SUMMER and into the fall, when I’m ambling down a country road in northern Wisconsin, watching raptors at Duluth’s Hawk Ridge, birding along Lake Superior, or sitting in my backyard, I’m drawn to Cedar Waxwings. Many of them sit on bare branches rising above leafy trees. Now and then, one flutters out to snatch a flying insect but, even then, takes its time about it. Waxwing flight looks unhurried and leisurely, and the sleepy, sibilant calls (“like tiny mice snoring,” explained an ornithology professor) contribute to the Zen-like relaxation and peacefulness that wash over me whenever they’re near. Even migrating flocks appear not to rush. Individual birds continually change position, so the flock seems to swirl gently as it moseys along. As you and I get down to…

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BirdWatching (Digital) - 1 Issue, July/August 2023

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