Cedar Waxwings Hawking Insects

Late this afternoon, in warm, sunny weather, a small flock of Cedar Waxwings perched in the tops of several cedars and bare-limbed trees on either side of a neighborhood street. They were widely scattered, and in constant motion, hawking for insects. Each would perch for a brief moment only, then flutter up to catch an insect, yellow breast and the trim gold tip of its tail flashing in the sunlight, then return to a different perch. All together, they looked like colorful sparks jumping from a hidden fire, and their high, thin calls sounded like sparkles, too.

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