[CT Birds] Husky Bohemian Waxwing

[Linda & Steve Broker]

Following up on Mark Szantyr's posting:

Observation began at the two crabapple trees on the west side of the  
CLAS Building at 8:35 A.M..  At 8:38 A.M., the Bohemian Waxwing  
appeared in the deciduous tree next to the Norway Spruce, and at 8:41  
A.M. it flew to the crabapple trees.  For the next hour it remained  
in near-continuous view, in the crabapples, on the ground below, and  
in several different deciduous trees in the immediate vicinity and in  
the Norway Spruce.  On this morning, it favored the top of the  
deciduous tree in line with Glenbrook Road (CLAS "quadrant") and mid- 
level of the deciduous tree just left of the Norway Maple (parking  
lot "quadrant") when not feeding right at the crabapples.  It also  
tucks itself into the Norway Spruce for periods, then drops to the  
ground here.  (Directions are based on viewing from the entrance  
doors to CLAS.  This bird is not hard to see.)

When feeding, the bird spends much time sampling and rejecting or  
selecting crabapples, swallowing them whole, and periodically pooping  
out seeds.  The bird was not garrulous, but it certainly was  
gregarious in relation to the dozen or so birders present - the  
birders spanning seven decades in age and including three highly  
interested University of Connecticut Facilities employees.

Steve Broker
Cheshire