Bohemian Waxwings

[Rotarran]

Finally got some decent pics of Bohemian Waxwings.  They were a bit high up with some branches obstructing the focus but hey beggars can't be choosers.  This was around 12pm at the NE corner of Major Mac & Woodbine







And a Cedar was around too:

[bronco]

Glad your patience paid off for you -- great pics.

[Palo]

Great shots Rotarren... Congrats!  Especially shooting up into the midday sun, you even got a blue sky... Excellent! Thanks for the tip as well.

[Howieh]

Very nice but it usually takes a few minutes before the pictures show up from Photobucket. Does anyone else have this problem?

[cosmo3667]

great captures I've only been able to see the Cedar Waxwings and these pretty much show the difference in between the 2 species

[Rotarran]

Very nice but it usually takes a few minutes before the pictures show up from Photobucket. Does anyone else have this problem?

No I was not aware of this.  Have you tried different browsers...might make a difference.

great captures I've only been able to see the Cedar Waxwings

It is my impression that sightings of Bohemians are becoming slightly more frequent.  Not just by me but other birders I know as well.  For me, each sighting was on a sunny day around the noon hour and each time it was close to a small body of water (ponds) that had berries growing nearby.  So they appear to like sunshine, the middle part of the day and pond-like habitats.  And of course the berries

Although that is anecdotal evidence and could have been nothing more than a coincidence.

[Bird Brain]

great captures I've only been able to see the Cedar Waxwings

Hi cosmo3667.  Me too, have only ever sighted Cedar Waxwings.

[thouc]

You seem to have luck seeing those Bohemians, I haven't seem them in Ontario yet.

/Thomas

[Andygod]

Great pictures, I have only seen the cedar waxwings out in the Oshawa/Whitby area, but I will keep looking.

[Howieh]

There was a large flock of bohemians in the neighbourhood a few weeks ago but only for one day so I assume they were just passing through! It was a dull overcast day and I could only identify them by overexposing and looking at the shots on camera. I counted seventy in one shot so there were probably close to a hundred altogether.

[Rotarran]

I've only had 3 encounters with them myself.  The first was at the Frenchman's Bay park on the west side of the bay.  I only saw (and photographed) Cedars but I could distinctly make out the Bohemian calls so I know they were there.  There were about 20 Cedars on that occasion and my guesstimate is that there were only a few Bohemians...5 at the most.

The 2nd time was at the Old Finch & Morningside pond.  They were in a berry bush and, not knowing they were there at first, I must have startled them and they flew up, towards me, and then away into the distance.  No more than 15 or 20.  I snapped a couple of in-flight pics and I could only tell they were waxwings from the pics but how I know they were Bohemians was again because of their distinct song.

The third time was where I snapped the pics above.  But I only saw 2 of them...I could hear more but they're good at hiding.  So I think there may have been as many as 10 in the vicinity.  And there were a handful of Cedars as well.  What's interesting about the 2 I photographed is that they had no problem with me taking pics.  They were at the very top of the tree with Grackles and RWBB below them...and they loosely flew together in the same flock it seemed.  Or at least that's how they all arrived at that tree.  First the Grackles & RWBB, followed immediately by the Bohemians.

All I can say is go to quiet wetland habitats that have berry bushes and just keep an eye out.

[Irene]

Beautiful captures!

[Rotarran]

Had the most amazing luck yesterday looking for what's new at the Charles Sauriol park.  Only had a few minutes to spare and was lucky enough to photograph the Groundhog which I posted in the wildlife section.  But then I saw this huge flock (at least 100) of Bohemian Waxwings and I could not believe my eyes.  I took lots of pics of course and here's a small sampling of that.

Saw the original flock of about 30 Waxwings on this tree:










The original flock above was joined by a bigger flock of about 70 in mid-air and together they all landed on this tree:


Then they flew up...


...and away


Quite amazing actually, my first time observing a flock of this size so closely.

[thouc]

Wow, you must have a Bohemian magnet or something  :shock:

[Rotarran]

Before I could not buy a Bohemian Waxwing and now it's like they're stalking me lol.  To be fair there have been quite a few reports of them in this area for a couple of months including on the Donway (east) as well as on Underhill, both of which are about 10 minutes away on foot.  Where I saw them is basically Lawrence & DVP.  But yeah, still a crazy coincidence.