Bohemian Rhapsody

tanjabrittonwriter 93 Comments

When I gave you my “70-plus Reasons to be Happy” in January, I had no way of knowing if, and for how long, local bird lovers would be graced with the Bohemian Waxwings’ presence. As chance (or fate) would have it, much to everybody’s enjoyment, it has been a waxwing winter and, ever since their initial discovery in the county at the beginning of the year, nearly every day in January and February has brought fresh sightings.

According to long-established birders, this winter’s irruption (in ecology, a “sudden sharp increase in relative numbers of a natural population usually associated with favorable alteration of the environment,” per Merriam-Webster) is the first since 2005. People have seen or heard groups ranging from dozens to several hundreds of individuals in their gardens, at local birding hotspots, or incidentally on the way to the supermarket or gas station. I have not come across any official tallies, but it’s titillating to imagine several thousand of these velveteen marvels winging their way through various neighborhoods on their quest to find and gobble all available fruit from shrubs and trees, as they are almost exclusively frugivorous in wintertime. The availability of food is what decides how far south this typically more northern species, which breeds in Alaska and Canada, will venture.

Birding by ear is especially helpful in the case of these waxwings, as one is frequently alerted to the presence of a flock by first perceiving their characteristic call, described by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as a “high-pitched, rapid, vibrato trill.” Contrary to their name, not all songbirds sing, and waxwings are among those without a true song. If you are interested in listening to their nonetheless exuberant vocalizations, please follow this link to some recordings.

Unlike other avian groups, waxwings don’t seem to have an alternative collective noun apart from “flock” to denote an assembly. Since they are among the most social birds, not minding close body contact, I think they are deserving of one and humbly suggest “a trill of waxwings.”

I feel extremely lucky to have seen and photographed these picturesque and charismatic feathered friends repeatedly, so I hope you will indulge another rhapsodic post about them. Nobody knows for how long they will remain with us, and when they might return. If the year started with 70-plus reasons to be happy, it continues with hundreds, if not thousands. And that is nothing to scoff at.

Come to think of it, how does “a rhapsody of waxwings” sound?

With thanks to Freddie Mercury and Queen for providing a title for this post by writing one of the most spectacular suites of music ever. Follow this link if you feel like rocking out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ

93 thoughts on “Bohemian Rhapsody”

  4. Oh my goodness, what wonderful photos. That first one is a real charmer, all those waxwings posing just for you! I’ve never seen a Bohemian waxwing, they certainly are beautiful!

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    • I hadn’t associated Queen’s music with the Beatles, but I’m not a music connoisseur. It’s likely that they, like many other bands, were influenced by the group from Liverpool.
      Bismillah is not the only unusual name Queen used. That choice of words, apart from the length of the composition, was one of the main reasons their record company executive turned them down, if the 2018 film, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” is accurate.

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  15. Such beautiful birds, Tanja, and terrific photographs. Try as I might, I’ve never been able to get a good, sharp photograph of a bird.

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  18. I stared and stared at your photos — such a group, and so handsome! That’s the sort of moment that makes me happier than usual for cameras. We can’t keep the birds with us forever, but at least we can keep our memories of them.

    I’ve long been a fan of Freddie Mercury. Have you seen the live footage from the 1985 London Live Aid concert? It’s as mesmerizing as your birds.

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  19. You wish for them…they will come! You must be up on cloud nine, this minute. I love the first photo of this group! Thank you for the great post, Tanja. 🙂

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  20. As soon as I saw your title, I was hoping for more Bohemian Waxwings. You absolutely filled my request! These captures are so gorgeous, and seeing so many at once, just amazing. Thoroughly enjoyed, Tanja! I am envious, hehe.

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  21. Some fabulous photos of a wonderful bird. Thank you, Tanja, for sharing them with us. And thank you also for the link to Bohemian Rhapsody…did you see that the video has had 1.5 BILLION VIEWS! Perhaps this should come as no surprise for such an iconic video of an iconic song. How I wish I’d seen Freddie perform in the flesh (and doesn’t he look so young in this bit of film?!)

    Incidentally, did you know that Brian May, who also looks so much younger than today in the video, is a big champion of animal rights, and a supporter of a number of charitable causes that further animal welfare? He’s quoted as saying “Animals deserve, need and must have rights. In my world animal welfare would be above politics.” Let’s all hope, bismillah, that his view of the world will prevail.

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    • Thank you, Mr. P, it makes me happy to know you enjoyed these beauties with me.
      At least 10 or 20 of those 1.5 billion views are from me. 😊 How about yourself?
      Thank you for sharing this new-to-me information about Brian May. I have always had the impression that was a special human being, and this only confirms it.

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  22. Very nice post, Tanja! Who should have thought in January that you would be visited by thousands of Bohemian Waxwings.
    Lovely pictures of the birds.
    It is a great idea to listen to their song.
    Then you will know what to look for when you hear their characteristic song. That is, if the birds arrive in a more normal range.
    Otherwise it’s obvious 😀😃

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  24. Each spring, we are alert for the high-pitched whistles which let us know the Cedar Waxwings have returned.

    Your “Bohemian Rhapsody” is outstanding! Superb photographs of these very handsome birds.

    I really enjoyed your post today.

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    • The Bohemians’ whistles drown out the Cedars’, but they will be easier to hear once hearing loss sets in (heaven forbid).

      I’m so glad you enjoyed my rhapsodic post. Nothing inspires me more than our feathered friends. 😊

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  25. Wunderschöne Aufnahmen sind dir gelungen. Ich hatte einmal vor 15 Jahren das Vergnügen eine Gruppe hier im winterlichen Garten zu beobachten, was keine 15 Minuten dauerte, denn in der Zeit hatten sie den Busch mit den letzten roten Beeren leergefuttert. Wie ich auf deinen Bildern sehe, lieben sie (weltweit) ihre roten Beeren 🙂 Was für ein Glück du hattest, daß du sie oft sehen konntest und die Fotos sind einfach ein Traum! Toll. LG Almuth

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      • Bei mir ging das so schnell, daß konnte ich kaum eingehender betrachten. Dann schlingen sie eher ;-)? Deine Fotos sind jedenfalls fantastisch. Das, wo sie so dekorativ auf den Zweigen sitzen, hat schon was von einem gemalten Bild, wie aus dem Poesiealbum oder? LG

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      • Ich finde überhaupt, daß die Federn wie gemalt aussehen. Nicht umsonst heißen sie Seidenschwänze. Und was das Futtern angeht, ist es fast nicht zu glauben, wie schnell sie eine Beere nach der anderen verschlingen. 😊

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  29. Well, this is TOTALLY astounding, Tanja! When I see a dozen or so together, I consider it a lucky day. And I definitely think it’s gotta be a “rhapsody of waxwings”. How perfect is that! Stunning pics, as usual. I’m trying to figure out if it’s just my imagination, or if the Cedar Waxwings that are more common here are slightly lighter in color.
    Cheers,
    Julie

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  33. I lean to “a rhapsody of waxwings” – has a nice ring to it … or a candle of waxwings ha. Have not seen the Bohemian variety yet – plenty of Cedar her and on our many adventures. Excited to hear there are large numbers showing up – will keep my eyes peeled. Note, the first shot made me drool.

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    • I think “rhapsody of waxwings” was the crowd favorite. “A candle of waxwings” suggests that they will disappear, which is basically what happened in the county, at least the vast majority of them. It was a cheering spectacle while it lasted! I’m sure your time to wax rhapsodic about your Bohemians will come. 😊

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  34. I love your title Bohemian rhapsody, being a big fan of Queen. And waxwings are gorgeous, as are your pictures! once only, I had some pass through my garden in Vienna, and it was amazing to see.

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    • That’s actually a bird Europe and America have in common, which is really neat. Their visitation this winter has been wonderful.
      Thank you for stopping by and commenting, Rudi, and for following my blog.
      Best wishes,
      Tanja

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  36. Indeed, we also have this bird and in dutch it’s called “pestvogel” (translate = plague bird) He’s invasive and we mostly see them during winter.
    Thanks for following and have a lovely day Tanja.

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