"That’s what winter is: an exercise in remembering how to still yourself then how to come pliantly back to life again."
― Ali Smith
With Spring (astronomical) only a month away we've had pretty active February in terms of wintery weather. Last week an ice storm left the landscape glistening in the morning and evening sun ― above photograph was taken near Barneveld Prairie and Vortex Optics. Apart from an overwintering Northern Shrike and some American Tree Sparrows, there hasn't been a lot of avian activity at this parcel of land. Well, it's not like I can just stare out the window all day, right? Other birds I've observed at Barneveld this winter include Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Horned Larks, Canada Geese, Tundra Swans, Wild Turkeys, and American Crows. In just a few weeks Eastern Meadowlarks and Red-winged Blackbirds will return, and then sometime in April the Henslow's Sparrows will be back. Bird by bird, bug by bug, and bud by bud, the prairie will spring to life once again.
On the home front, nearly every winter there's a large flock of Cedar Waxwings that feed upon the various ornamental fruit trees across the street from my apartment. Having little resolve to go on a nature excursion somewhere, I opted to spend some time obtaining portraits of the waxwings.
The flock consisted of nearly a hundred individuals, but they would leave the nearby woods at Deer Creek in sorties of a dozen or so. Each bird taking two to three berries, then then flying back to the woods ― to keep out of the wind? I'm not sure why they don't just remain. But then about a half an hour into my visit a Cooper's Hawk flew past overhead, which might explain their apparent skittishness. They didn't seem to mind a Red-tailed Hawk, though.
For my part, I was a zero-concern creature for them. Standing near one of the crabapple trees, occasionally a few of the waxwings would perch directly above me within arm's reach. With them so close, study and appreciation is possible without the aid of optics. There's something different about not having a binocular or spotting scope between oneself and the bird.
In the above dorsal view you can see the white inner edge of its tertial feathers. Because Cedar Waxwing flocks are nomadic and unpredictable, one can't assume this is the same bunch of birds that visits this location every winter. It might be, but it's more likely just a random flock that observed the sugary sustenance and will stay for a few weeks. There's plenty to eat, so I'm guessing these particular birds will remain until they journey on in search of the next thing, whether that means a different source of food or breeding grounds. I mean, of course that's the case. They tend to breed later than other songbirds, so who knows where these wandering waxwings will end up next.
They can be quite the little contortionists, can't they?
You can't always do so, but one should try remember to photograph all angles to fully appreciate their beauty! Perhaps it's the way it's holding it's feathers, but this next one looks a bit on the plump side:
Eventually it was time for me to go. Though in the low thirties, my hands and feet were getting a little cold (it was breezy), and I was pretty certain I was able to get plenty of good photographs to share. Perhaps I'll check on them again in a few weeks, or maybe they'll have moved on by then. Though spring migration is already underway, March represents the first major movement of birds into southern Wisconsin. February was kind of a dull month, and it might even be my least favorite month of the year. Still, there are things to do and see outdoors this time of year.
As my previous post indicated, I've been writing this blog for 18 years now. Some of you know that I quit blogging during 2019 and part of 2020 ― I'm not entirely sure why I started up again. I needed the break, though. I've been posting more non-nature stuff the past few years, which might be enough of variety to keep me interested in continuing to publish content here. To be sure, there are times feeding this blog feels like a chore and I don't always look forward to doing so. At some point, though, there's sure to be a final post. What will it be, I wonder. And what adventures and discoveries will come my way between then and now. I'm not much of a planner, but I'm sure to keep exploring the outdoors and I do so love nature photography.
All images © 2023 Mike McDowell