Cedar Waxwings

While eating lunch about 12 birds descended on the vegetation outside our kitchen window, eating the small berries. Dawn suggested we look them up in our birding book--after watching them for several minutes we identified them as Cedar Waxwings. Cedar Waxwings have yellow tail-tip markings, red wing-tip markings, mask-like blackness around their eyes, and a reddish-tan swept-back tuft on their heads.

We used the book All the Birds of North America (American Bird Conservancy's Field Guide), which contains an identification guide as well as seasonal, geographic, and migratory information on all birds listed.

It tickled me to use the book to successfully identify the birds...I enjoyed putting the book to use after several months of having it sit on the shelf.