Tags

,

All through the year, there are many things that I look forward to with anticipation and that mark each season.  The daffodils blooming in the spring, the chaste tree heavy with blossoms and abuzz with hummingbirds, butterflies and bees in the summer, the pineapple sage and the changing of the leaves in the autumn.  When winter approaches, it is not a plant that signals to me that winter is near, but the appearance of 2 types of birds, every year, almost to the day.

010_edited-3 053

The cedar waxwing and American robin descend upon my garden, or I should say, descend upon the Eastern cedar trees, with gusto.

First, I notice a few robins hunting worms in the yard, then more, then finally a whole flock of them are roaming the hillside and perching in the trees.  I know this is a signal of what is to come next……the waxwings.  There are as many, if not more, of them than there are of robins.

011 (2)_edited-1

I would like to say it’s my garden that is attracting them, but the credit goes to Mother Nature.  They are after the berry laden cedar trees that we have an abundance of on the property.  I have read that since they both have a similar diet, they travel together searching for food during the winter months when they’re not so territorial.  Actually, the robin is usually the most territorial of the two.  The cedar waxwing is a most congenial bird!

133_edited-2

They come back, on and off, for a few weeks to a month or as long as the berries last.  Sometimes the Junco’s hail their arrival and I have even seen bluebirds amongst them.  I know winter is well upon this garden by their visit and that it will soon be time to wait out the winter months with the seed catalogs…..all the while keeping an eye towards Spring.