Kissing Waxwings and an Awaited Return

I left the office before dark, for once, and drove across the street to Lake Lily to see if the Limpkin were still working on a new brood. I didn't see them at all and there are still no snail eggs on the reeds. Perhaps they decided to find a better food source.

I did hear some Waxwings back near the train tracks so I checked them out instead.

A small flock of Waxwings were in the treetops and some of the birds began performing their 'kissing' high above me. I have seen this a couple years ago and I find it interesting to watch. Sometimes they exchange food back and forth. A search on the internet reveals a more detailed explanation.

Ornithologist, Thomas Sadler Roberts wrote "When resting, the members of a flock are apt to sit closely snuggled together in a row, and at times may touch bills with their neighbors, first on one side, then on the other, in a manner suggesting kissing. Even more surprising, they may be seen to pass some tidbit, a ripe berry most likely, from one to another all along the line and then back again several times in succession without any bird being impolite enough to eat it."

Here, a pair starts to cozy up to one another.



Then begin wondering which cheek to kiss.



Smack!



Nice to see such love in the world. But wait! What is that sound? "Weeep! Weep!"

Great-crested Flycatchers are back! But where is he? Hard to see through these newly emerging leaves of Spring. Ah, he came to me, finally.



I LOVE to hear these birds calling.



Now we need to see if any find our bird boxes at Lake Lotus.