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Witness winter’s bohemian waxwing rhapsody

I was sitting at lunch the other day when a prominent local astronomer mentioned he had seen a large flock of dark, almost black birds descend on a tree in front of someone’s yard in his neighbourhood.
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Bohemian waxwings are among the birds that visit local yards during the winter. Photo by Victor Vere.
I was sitting at lunch the other day when a prominent local astronomer mentioned he had seen a large flock of dark, almost black birds descend on a tree in front of someone’s yard in his neighbourhood.

This prompted a second person at the table to mention that he too had seen a large flock do something like this earlier in the week. Unusual, since it attracted their attention. What could they be? When asked if they noticed what kind of tree they landed in, there were no details.

The season has been slow to form for the winter birds who call the region home. With the advent of colder temperatures and snow — lots of snow — those who are patient and maintain their feeders will reap the rewards.

What does maintaining the feeders mean? When the region gets a heavy snowfall, we often look outside our windows and watch the accumulation thinking picturesque thoughts, worries of how to get to work and who is going to clear the driveway, or when will the snow plow come by.

The birds, on the other hand, are outside in that snowfall, hidden in trees or foraging for food wherever it may be found.

There are different levels of maintaining feeders during these times. There is putting food out after the storm when the platforms and feeders can be cleared of snow. There is putting food out before the storm and watching dismally as the snow buries it under inches of white fluff.

And then there is one more option for the daring that often reaps small rewards. During the course of the snowfall, one can go out several times and clear the feeders so that the birds that are “weathering” the conditions have access to food. Of course, it does mean putting on all those clothes and boots and getting out there to do a little work.

You may be surprized at the interesting visitors that show up. The local mourning dove may sit within a small working area, a pit within the snow, on the platform and gorge on the exposed seeds as the snow flies.

Small over-wintering sparrows, such as a white-crowned or perhaps a northern cardinal, will come in for a quick fill of seeds before going back to a white cedar patch to avoid too much exposure to the weather. Birds have a crop and gizzard — internal digestive organs that store gathered food and process it to release the needed nutrients within.

There are other types of feeders, more of a natural kind, that don’t need winter maintenance. These are the flowering crab apple and mountain ash trees that are often seen as ornamental trees along our streets. This year was a good fruit-bearing year for the two species.

The apples and berries of these two trees will often stay on the branches, freezing in place in winter, and that is where the potential food source is discovered. Bohemian waxwings were the visitors that my two friends had observed. This year, a flock of more than 250 birds have been seen in the Bell Park area.

They can break off into smaller groups of 30 to 50 individuals and will often work the streets feeding on the berries and fruits that remain on the trees. It is not unusual to have the flock in a particular area for several weeks as they glean the fruit.

In bad light, or from far away, they look dark and do resemble the European Starling. A closer look, however, will reveal a much different picture. Beautiful hues of tan and brown with a white wing bar and bright yellow and red patches on the wings can be seen on these medium-sized, crested birds. They also emit an attractive trill-like call, as they go about their business during the day.

If you see one of these flocks take the time to watch them. They are fascinating northern visitors, only seen here in winter.

Chris Blomme is an executive member of the Sudbury Ornithological Society and works with animals at Laurentian University. Have a question for Chris? Send it to [email protected].

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