Curious Waxwing

Oh dear, I may be coming over to the dark side of digiscoping...a Canon digital SLR, the Rebel XSi. There are certainly advantages using an SLR, but I like the small, pocket size and ability of taking video by using a point and shoot camera for digiscoping. I will say, feeling the click of the camera with every shot is oddly satisfying...let's see if I can get the photos there.

I went to the Minnesota Valley NWR to give it a test run and a most accommodating cedar waxwing flew down to the fly thru feeder. That's not supposed to be a seed eater, what's up with that? Sometimes during migration you'll see warblers and vireos at feeders. They're attracted by the general bird activity and flying to check out the food source. In some cases, they'll go for fruit or even suet if it's cold and there aren't enough insects available. Like this pine warbler at Mr. Neil's.

But this cedar waxwing had its eye on other things. It made sure the area was clear and then flew down to the bird bath for a sip. Alas, I did not get a photo of the waxwing on the bath, a herd of retired US Fish & Wildlife Employees (at the refuge for a convention) came out. One told me a rather naughty joke about mullen. He said that if you saw mullen growing in a field, then that meant that the soil was so bad, two Irish men with a bottle of whiskey couldn't even raise hell on it.

I think he doesn't like mullen.