On roughly an every-other-year-schedule, Cedar Waxwings show up in droves during January, remaining in Central Texas through March. On a daily basis they visit my pond by the dozens, even hundreds. Gregarious birds, it’s rare to see a waxwing alone. They’re always with their besties, swooping in to bathe and drink, rushing upwards to safety when some unknown event triggers their (apparently very sensitive) flight mechanisms.

This Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum stayed still long enough for me to observe and snap a photo, posing to show its good side.

It dipped and drank, gracefully exhibiting the signature waxwing yellow tail feather ends and red wing feather tips. Cedar Waxwings are stunningly beautiful birds.

I felt lucky to grab a photo with a small group, none of which fuzzily winged from the frame just as I snapped the shot. Thanks, birds!

While the waxwings certainly enjoy the pond and visit it throughout their winter vacation here in Austin, the most important thing they get from my garden are fruits from various plants. This waxwing is aiming to pluck a ripe, red berry from my Possumhaw Holly, Ilex decidua.

I couldn’t get a perfect photo of a waxwing eating a berry; either the berry was smeary or the bird was smeary. At least in this shot, it’s obvious that the bird is leaning down for a bite of berry.

Within an afternoon or two, these cheeky birds, with assists from a couple of Blue Jays and Mockingbirds, stripped the tree of its fruits for this year. I’m sorry to see the pretty berries no longer decorating the tree, but I’m pleased that my garden provided a favorite food for these lovely birds. There are still red fruits on my non-native Burford Holly, Ilex cornuta, but one day soon, the waxwing mob will descend for a communal nosh and those berries will be history–just like the Possumhaw fruits.

I love seeing these charming birds in my garden, with one exception: berry bird poop on the patio, chairs, plants, rocks…

Garbage in, garbage out, I guess.