Let the Frenzies Begin!

Figured I would swing through the cemetery to check on the Bald Eagle's nest on the way home. I noticed the female up in the tree but it wasn't an impressive view. I scanned the sky around the tree and noticed Tree Swallows flying by and thought that maybe they would circle close enough for a shot. Once I stepped out of the van, however, I was greeted by another species.

American Robins were flying in from all directions. In the next couple of minutes, I was surrounded by a large flock swarming in to grab all the Camphor berries they could get. Whether I was there or not. Birds were landing mere feet away to scoop up the fruit and I was happy to snap away for the next half hour.



There were dozens of birds in the Camphor trees grabbing berries from the branches but a lot of birds took the easier route and made their selections from the ones that dropped to the ground. Many times they would fly in for a quick snack while others browsed the ground right up to where I was standing. The males really glowed in the sunlight.



The paler females also joined in on the feast.



It hard to outshine an adult male displaying that classic Robin 'redbreast' and it was nice to get some great looks at the feather details up close.



I picked a headstone to sit upon and watched in wonder at the spectacle and soaked in the sounds at the Robins chattered and Waxwings, always unseen, made their high-pitched calls as they occupied the tops of the trees.



It continued to astound me how close the birds would approach. Hunger was definitely to main need to feed and once they decided I wasn't a threat they made their way around me in a circle covering the entire ground beneath the tree I was next to and the others near the fence.



Even from behind the feather details are quite striking.



With so many opportunities to photograph, I got a lot of shots of the birds eating the berries.



It was fun to watch as the birds took their time to pick out the best berries to eat. They would grab one at a time and squeeze them and figure out if they were good enough to consume.



Over and over, pick and squeeze.



They would quickly discard the green berries. Even with the more ripe fruit, they would squeeze and sometimes break them apart before throwing them to the side.



So much fruit. So much that is was easy to be picky.



Once they decided on just the right one...gulp! On to the next selection.



I was hoping one of the birds would choose to land on the branch closest to me for an interesting veiw. A short while of waiting brought me the shot I was after. This birds took its time scanning all of the bounty and grabbed a ripe berry from the bunches and flew off just after this image.



The Robin flocks will continue to make their way around the area and eventually to our yard to strip the Camphors of their fruit. Shouldn't be too long before the Cedar Waxwings join in.