I grew up on the foggy Monterey coast, and my mom kept a large pyracantha bush outside our kitchen window. The window faced the street, but the house was set back a bit and the street was relatively quiet, and maybe that made our pyracantha popular with the Cedar wax wings. They would come swiping in an enlarged chattering bunch of maybe 15 or 20 birds and clear off every last bar in a matter of minutes and then off they'd go!
Local lore had it, and I don't know if this is true that pyracantha berries tend to ferment. At least that was my mom's explanation for why more than once we would look out the large picture window onto our back garden, which went down to the floor and see Harantis staggering around on the back deck. We had to make sure to keep our big yellow cab indoors coming out that I think you ever captured any birds in his entire life cause he was really quite the scary dickhead in spite of being a big 18 pound boy. He would hunker down on the floor of our family room looking straight out on the back deck, making noises and thrashing his tail I swear if we looked closely we would've seen him licking his lips!
I love your Cedar waxwing sketch! Beautifully captures their colors!
I have two Cedar waxwing memories from childhood.
I grew up on the foggy Monterey coast, and my mom kept a large pyracantha bush outside our kitchen window. The window faced the street, but the house was set back a bit and the street was relatively quiet, and maybe that made our pyracantha popular with the Cedar wax wings. They would come swiping in an enlarged chattering bunch of maybe 15 or 20 birds and clear off every last bar in a matter of minutes and then off they'd go!
Local lore had it, and I don't know if this is true that pyracantha berries tend to ferment. At least that was my mom's explanation for why more than once we would look out the window and our back garden, which went down to the floor and see Harantis staggering around on the back deck. We had to make sure to keep our big yellow cab indoors coming out that I think you ever captured any birds in his entire life cause he was really quite the scary dickhead in spite of being a big 18 pound boy. He would hunker down on the floor of our family room looking straight out on the back deck, making noises and thrashing his tail I swear if we looked closely we would've seen him licking his lips!
I’m glad you like the sketch and thank you so much for your story, and I got your email too! As for the staggering Waxwings, I think that lore definitely had some truth. A few sources I found while doing research, talked about how the birds would indulge in fermented fruits and get drunk. It’s amazing you saw that in person!
As for cats being let outside, that’s an ongoing process and we are all learning. A lot of practices that we now know are ecologically destructive either was or is the cultural norm, so we participate. What matters is working to do better everyday!
I have two Cedar waxwing memories from childhood.
I grew up on the foggy Monterey coast, and my mom kept a large pyracantha bush outside our kitchen window. The window faced the street, but the house was set back a bit and the street was relatively quiet, and maybe that made our pyracantha popular with the Cedar wax wings. They would come swiping in an enlarged chattering bunch of maybe 15 or 20 birds and clear off every last bar in a matter of minutes and then off they'd go!
Local lore had it, and I don't know if this is true that pyracantha berries tend to ferment. At least that was my mom's explanation for why more than once we would look out the large picture window onto our back garden, which went down to the floor and see Harantis staggering around on the back deck. We had to make sure to keep our big yellow cab indoors coming out that I think you ever captured any birds in his entire life cause he was really quite the scary dickhead in spite of being a big 18 pound boy. He would hunker down on the floor of our family room looking straight out on the back deck, making noises and thrashing his tail I swear if we looked closely we would've seen him licking his lips!
I love your Cedar waxwing sketch! Beautifully captures their colors!
I have two Cedar waxwing memories from childhood.
I grew up on the foggy Monterey coast, and my mom kept a large pyracantha bush outside our kitchen window. The window faced the street, but the house was set back a bit and the street was relatively quiet, and maybe that made our pyracantha popular with the Cedar wax wings. They would come swiping in an enlarged chattering bunch of maybe 15 or 20 birds and clear off every last bar in a matter of minutes and then off they'd go!
Local lore had it, and I don't know if this is true that pyracantha berries tend to ferment. At least that was my mom's explanation for why more than once we would look out the window and our back garden, which went down to the floor and see Harantis staggering around on the back deck. We had to make sure to keep our big yellow cab indoors coming out that I think you ever captured any birds in his entire life cause he was really quite the scary dickhead in spite of being a big 18 pound boy. He would hunker down on the floor of our family room looking straight out on the back deck, making noises and thrashing his tail I swear if we looked closely we would've seen him licking his lips!
Hey Piper!
I’m glad you like the sketch and thank you so much for your story, and I got your email too! As for the staggering Waxwings, I think that lore definitely had some truth. A few sources I found while doing research, talked about how the birds would indulge in fermented fruits and get drunk. It’s amazing you saw that in person!
As for cats being let outside, that’s an ongoing process and we are all learning. A lot of practices that we now know are ecologically destructive either was or is the cultural norm, so we participate. What matters is working to do better everyday!