waxwing

Cedar Waxwing at UBC Farm (part 2)

CEWA-UBC_Farm-2015_05_29

Cedar Waxwings | Jaseurs des cèdres | Bombycilla cedrorum: This is the second instalment of a three part series on Cedar Waxwings photographed at UBC Farm. Today’s photos were taken on May 29, 2015.

Although I was able to get quite close to these birds and the conditions were quite sunny, I did not get quite as many interesting (or even good) shots this time around. The photo above is certainly the exception and I am quite happy that I captured it, even if it is still not perfect.

Taken with a handheld Nikon D5200 and AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED (ISO 400 | 300mm | f/5.6 | 1/1250). Not baited, called in or set up.

Cedar Waxwings at UBC Farm (part 1)

CEWA_pair-UBC_Farm-2015_05_27

Cedar Waxwings | Jaseurs des cèdres | Bombycilla cedrorum: This is the first instalment of a three part series on Cedar Waxwings that I photographed at the UBC Farm over a number of days. Today’s photos date from May 27, 2015.

There seems to be some courting going on in the first (top) photo and nest building in the second (middle). And I included the last photo because the bird was posing perfectly for the photographer (me)!

Taken with a handheld Nikon D5200 and AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED. Not baited, called in or set up.

  • First (top): ISO 400 | 300mm | f/7.1 | 1/2000
  • Second (middle): ISO 400 | 300mm | f/8 | 1/2000
  • Third (bottom): ISO 400 | 300mm | f/6.3 | 1/1600

CEWA_twig-UBC_Farm-2015_05_27

CEWA_alone-UBC_Farm-2015_05_27

Fall is here… and so are the Cedar Waxwings!

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Oddly enough, in this part of the world, I especially welcome the arrival of fall! Although the long, warm and lazy days are over and even if we will now have cooler temperatures and much rain (!?!) for several months, autumn also heralds the arrival of our long “bird season,” which actually runs from September to May (strangely enough, summer is relatively quiet around the Vancouver area when it comes to birds).

This photo of a Cedar Waxwing eating a berry is a clear indication of the changing seasons: The fruits are now quite ripe and birds are once again flocking together. In fact, these birds nearly landed on my head, allowing me to take a large number of good to excellent pictures! I may very well post a few more of them in the next few days, as well as photos of another species that signals the start of bird season (I will keep the mystery going for a few more days)…

[UPDATE: I should have indicated that this is a juvenile Cedar Waxwing and that the photo was taken a few days ago on the Point Grey (Vancouver) campus of the University of British Columbia, a few steps from the Clock Tower.]