Bird watching: Cedar Waxwing circus at Kenosha's Kemper Center
The Cedar Waxwing is a striking bird, as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology notes:
… the Cedar Waxwing is a silky, shiny collection of brown, gray, and lemon-yellow, accented with a subdued crest, rakish black mask, and brilliant-red wax droplets on the wing feathers. In fall these birds gather by the hundreds to eat berries, filling the air with their high, thin, whistles. In summer you’re as likely to find them flitting about over rivers in pursuit of flying insects, where they show off dazzling aeronautics for a forest bird.
One great place to observe this summer behavior is the handicapped-accessible fishing pier at Kenosha, Wisconsin’s Kemper Center.
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The pier offers a fine view of Lake Michigan and a number of benches facing the water — but the real birding action is in the opposite direction, in the tiny cove it surrounds. That’s where dozens of Cedar Waxwings perch and dart and swoop in a nonstop, acrobatic circus of insect hunting.
Admittedly this video (best viewed in HD) is fairly dizzying and distant. It was shot on our Flip Ultra HD, the only video camera I’ve ever thought to bring along on a bike ride. Still, it should give you some indication that there are a lot of Cedar Waxwings feeding at this spot. We see them there every time.
Perhaps the best birdwatching hour would be just before sunset on a clear evening, when the sun’s orange rays give the bugs a better silhouette, allowing a nice clear view of each amazing catch. In the evenings, swallows and other species also join the game.
That looks pretty cool Mark. I wasn't really even aware of these birds but it's something to look out for. That whole Kemper Center area is pretty neat and they've really done a lot with the lake shore in Kenosha (and Racine) over the last 15 years.
I actually have two birds (parakeet and blue-crowned conure) even though I don't personally think people should own and import exotic animals. In my case it was more of a rescue deal getting the birds away from people that shouldn't own an animal in the first place, but it's really given me a different perspective on birds and how smart they actually are (even the small one is much smarter than people give them credit for.)
Have you had a chance to go see the new aviary exhibit at the Racine Zoo? Again, I'm a little on the fence about it since they're basically importing birds and taking them away from their native habitat, though probably most of these birds (like so many) were born in captivity anyway. With the case of zoos it at least has an educational benefit that will hopefully help the animal cause in the long run. Anyway, the Racine Zoo's new aviary, while fairly basic at this point, is a great way to interact with smaller birds and to impact children's appreciation for them. I hope they improve it and that it has it's desired effect but check it out if you get the chance. The wife and I just recently got a zoo membership and since they started charging to get in they've really been making some nice improvements.
Glad you enjoyed your bike ride and bird watching (I'm jealous, I haven't been able to ride in a couple of summers because of medical crap! And I used to ride a lot of miles, oh well, it could always be worse.)
I hope all else is well. Will you be taking part in the upcoming (September 8th!) Steve Dahl podcasting? It seems like a crime to force a Steve Dahl to podcast and not be 'over the air' but at least we can hear him again.
Later, JD
Joe: Thanks for the info about the aviary. I have not been to the zoo in a while, but maybe that's something we could enjoy with our nieces. As for the podcasting, no, that is not something I am participating in.