[cobirds] Re: Where *aren't* the Bohemians? - Arapahoe

At the risk of oversharing: During a walk, my dogs and I met a flock of Bohemian Waxwings sunning themselves and calling in a neighborhood tree in Centennial, just north of University and Arapahoe. (So this is my third encounter with apparent Bohemian Waxwing flocks today while not birding.) They rehearsed flying toward the sun a few times, alighting back on the tree top, then calling again. 

As had the flock Geoff and I watched yesterday, at about the same time of day, the entire flock oriented toward the sun. Perhaps a coincidence, but perhaps also a fairly effective behavior to catch as much of the late afternoon warmth as possible. 

Eventually they flew off, in the direction they'd practiced. 

Between their orientation to the sun and their trilling, I was reminded of a performance art piece mentioned in artist and birder Jenny Odell's book How to Do Nothing. Entitled Applause Encouraged, the piece consisted of a gathering of people in San Diego to watch and applause the sunset. (You can read more here, if you're so inclined.) If I could trill along with the waxwings, I would have.

- Jared Del Rosso

Centennial, CO

On Monday, January 23, 2023 at 1:50:33 PM UTC-7 Jared Del Rosso wrote:

Yesterday, Geoff Stacks and I had flyover after flyover (frustratingly so) of waxwing flocks, often Bohemians, around Centennial. We finally stumbled into a flock feeding on junipers, drinking melting snow on a roof, and sunning on a leafless tree in a residential neighborhood near the Big Dry Creek. They were joined by a few Cedar Waxwings and robins. Several passerby asked us about the birds and were enthusiastic about their encounter with the flock. 

Today, while driving from Centennial to Littleton, I had two flocks of waxwings fly over me, crisscrossing the High Line Canal. Given recent sightings, which have Bohemians vastly outnumbering Cedars, I suspect that's who made up the majority of these flocks. I first encountered a passing flock on Orchard, then another on one of the Canal's crossing on Broadway (at Ridge). I had a decent enough view of the second flock to feel confident in saying that they might definitely could have been and possibly were Bohemian Waxwings.

This weekend was the first I'd encountered Bohemians feeding on junipers (rather than Buckthorn). Have others noticed this transition, or is it just a sort of fluke of my own observations -- after all, I spent the first half of January looking for them in Buckthorn thickets?

These flocks are so remarkable. They really do change the ebb and flow of suburban winter birding. Same for the Cassin's Finches. In my brief time in Centennial, only the autumn-winter-spring of 2017-18 has matched this winter in intrigue. (That was the year of Golden-crowned Kinglets, Pygmy Nuthatches, Red Crossbills, and Steller's Jays -- and my yard had a brief visit from a Golden-crowned Sparrow.)

- Jared Del Rosso

Centennial, CO

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