Second Day Success

The cedar waxwing is one of my favorite birds. Smooth with pretty markings make it particularly attractive. I hadn't seen one in the valley for quite a few years, since the beaver dams were abandoned. But on this day, I became quite acquainted with them.



It was bitterly cold that morning. So cold, it seemed the world had frozen. There was no sound. No wind. I chose to hunt from a tree stand far away from the house so I could warm up on my way there. And it was on a south facing slope so I would catch the earliest rays of sunshine on this clear crisp morning. For those of you who know the valley, it was near the "upper gate". The oppressively heavy cold air even pushed the chimney smoke down to the ground and it drifted down the valley floor. As daylight broke, I saw just one lone doe stiffly walking through the cold looking for a breakfast that might get her blood going. But the sun did break over the horizon shortly and it quickly began to warm, and the cedar waxwings began to flock in for a breakfast of bush honeysuckle and autumn olive berries. The enjoyment of their company was short lived however as dozens upon dozens sat in the tree above me, and promptly dropped their eaten fruit remains on my head. And my clothes. And my bow.

I began to consider abandoning my post due to the nuisance, but decided instead to try a tree shaking dispersal method. It would work. For five minutes or so. But they would return and resume their annoying habit of dropping their red staining masses of digested fruit. So for the next two hours until their breakfast hours were complete, I continued to shake the tree every few minutes, and in a rush of wings, they would fly off to another tree. To the delight, I'm sure, of the laughing deer watching in seclusion and enjoying my dilema.

Persistance paid off however. Shortly after nine, I was able to harvest this 9-point buck.

And Nick shot this 8-point later that afternoon.