I can't believe we've held out this long but it
finally snowed for the very first time last night. Previous to this we've not even had a single flurry. It didn't amount to much -maybe about an inch, but the temperature dropped significantly afterward. It was just 18ยบ when I arrived at the park after 11am. It was actually kind of nice as everything looked so different today. It was quite overcast when I first started but patches of blue sky shown intermittently through the passing clouds. I spotted a Red-tailed Hawk, a Cardinal and a Crow but later had a good chance to see a Cedar Waxwing closer than I ever have before.
I was on the south side making my way back when I spotted a group of them not to far above me inside the trail. There was one even closer in the nook of a tree who seemed to be eating something. At first I thought he must be looking for something, -berries maybe- underneath the snow. But as I watched it became more clear that he was actually eating the snow. I've always assumed that animals and birds would avoid snow as a source of water but I guess I am wrong.
This Waxwing seemed to be scarfing it down and his beak became covered in it. I had a great view of him and he was preoccupied enough to let me get closer and see him in great detail. I could see that he was missing the "red tips" on his wings telling me that he was less than 2 years old. I'm always happy with a such a close sighting of something.
I can't believe we've held out this long but it finally snowed for the very first time last night. Previous to this we've not even had a single flurry. It didn't amount to much -maybe about an inch, but the temperature dropped significantly afterward. It was just 18ยบ when I arrived at the park after 11am. It was actually kind of nice as everything looked so different today. It was quite overcast when I first started but patches of blue sky shown intermittently through the passing clouds. I spotted a Red-tailed Hawk, a Cardinal and a Crow but later had a good chance to see a Cedar Waxwing closer than I ever have before. 
I was on the south side making my way back when I spotted a group of them not to far above me inside the trail. There was one even closer in the nook of a tree who seemed to be eating something. At first I thought he must be looking for something, -berries maybe- underneath the snow. But as I watched it became more clear that he was actually eating the snow. I've always assumed that animals and birds would avoid snow as a source of water but I guess I am wrong. 
This Waxwing seemed to be scarfing it down and his beak became covered in it. I had a great view of him and he was preoccupied enough to let me get closer and see him in great detail. I could see that he was missing the "red tips" on his wings telling me that he was less than 2 years old. I'm always happy with a such a close sighting of something.
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