iN PHOTO: Beautiful Bohemian Waxwings brighten up winters in Kamloops, Okanagan
When a large flock of Bohemian Waxwings descended on a mountain ash tree near her sister’s West Kelowna property, Cathy Shorey quickly grabbed her camera and rushed over.
“It isn’t my first encounter photographing Bohemian Waxwings yet it is always exciting and joyful to observe and photograph these magnificent birds,” the photographer said of the Jan. 15 encounter.
Shorey recalled the previous winter when she and her husband came across a similarly large flock on a walk in Kelowna.
“All areas of the Okanagan seem blessed to host these birds every winter now,” she said. “It is so great to see them.”
While the birds spend summers feeding on insects in the forests and muskeg of Alaska and western Canada, the flocks spend winters in cities and towns where they feed on fruiting trees, mostly mountain-ash and juniper berries. In most areas their numbers are quite variable from year to year.
It is the perfect time for local photographers to capture the social birds.
Bohemian Waxwings are similar in appearance to Cedar Waxwings and the birds share much of the same range. The Bohemian Waxwing is bigger and more colorfully marked than the Cedar Waxwing, with a bright yellow stripe along the edge of its wing. There is no doubt, the beautiful birds brighten up the winter city landscapes.
READ MORE: Birders flock to Kelowna to get photo of rarely seen species
To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Ainslie or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
