There is a cluster of crabapple trees at the Ashland Dog Park. Those trees benefit from irrigation that goes onto the lawns there. Even in this drought those trees are burdened with plenty of fruit. That burden is being lifted…one crab at a time…by Cedar Waxwings…who are great appreciators of ripe fruit. I, in turn, consider myself a fine appreciator of the waxwings and indirectly the crabapples upon which they gorge themselves in season:
Above young Waxwing grabs crab in his beak. Below, adult bird in bright sun atop the tree:
The birds with streaky chests are the juveniles born this year.
The world has only three species of waxwing, two are found in the U.S. Our most common is the Cedar, not a goo d name since it is more likely a crabapple or mistletoe bird in the west, perhaps a persimmon bird in the southeast.
Bohemian waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus
Japanese waxwing, B. japonica
Cedar waxwing, B. cedrorum
“Bombycilla” refers to “silky tail” of the birds in this genus.
Towheeblog 
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