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GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist has written a blog about science since 4 August 2004 (the early years are archived here) and was part of the original invited group of 14 "SciBlings" -- her only claim to fame. If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, please help her pay her living expenses by clicking on the Paypal button below and by voting for her to be the official blogger on a month long adventure in Antarctica. If you read an essay that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for OpenLab2009.
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Topic Categories: Birds • Image of the Day
Posted on: August 27, 2008 2:59 PM, by "GrrlScientist"
tags: Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum, birds, nature, Image of the Day
Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum, at the A&M Tract on Pelican Island, Texas.
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 18 May 2007 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/250s f/9.5 at 800.0mm iso400.
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Posted by: Bill Austin | August 27, 2008 6:56 PM
They're one of my favorites too. We see them for only a very short period each spring as they pass through NE Wisconsin on their migration. I've got one frozen in my kitchen freezer right now. It crashed into our picture window and croaked.
Posted by: Winnebago | August 27, 2008 7:39 PM
Hi Winnebago, I'm in Madison now, but I also saw cedar waxwings in NE Wisconsin.
GrrlScientist, I hope you are having an enjoyable trip east.
Posted by: Tziporah | August 27, 2008 10:22 PM
And what side dishes will you be serving with your cedar waxwing?
Posted by: wrpd | August 28, 2008 12:27 AM
nice post.will you help me in identifying birds in my blog?
Posted by: vrajesh | August 28, 2008 9:11 PM
vrajesh -- i can try to help you, but i am in london right now and have inconsistent internet access until i return to NYC.
Posted by: "GrrlScientist" | September 1, 2008 2:42 AM
Watched a cedar waxwing for three days in northern illinois this labor day weekend. I read they are supposed to be gregarious and live, fly, feed in flocks.
this was solitary... and basically stayed in the top of a tree just looking around for three days... it would fly up to about 100 feet to another tree top for a few minutes, but would always return to the same tree top...preening and scanning? no singing or chirping
any ideas why this bird would behave this way? it's the first time I've seen a waxwing in this area. but I feel confident of the identification
Posted by: marilyn | September 3, 2008 8:44 AM
cedar waxwings can be found alone, i am not sure why this particular bird was alone and seemed to hang around one location .. the birds are "irruptive", meaning they wander widely and often unpredictably, so this bird might have become separated from its flockmates and was looking for them.
Posted by: "GrrlScientist" | September 4, 2008 2:20 AM
thanks for the new term...irruptive... helps to find much more on these birds!
Posted by: marilyn | September 8, 2008 6:24 PM