Cedar Waxwing: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, September 2026 — The Cedar Waxwings in southern Maine are in full hawk mode these days. Perching on trees at the edge of ponds, they swoop out over the water and take insects (probably mosquitoes) out of the air, then come swooping back to their perches, watch for seconds or moments, and swoop out again. It reminds me a bit of that game they play on broomsticks in the Harry Potter movies. I found a spot in the shadows at the edge of the pond near a perch they were using regularly and stood there for an hour or more, in two shifts, to see if I could catch one close and in good light. Of course, they always had their backs to me as they looked out over the pond for insects, but they were close. 🙂 Sony RX10 V at 600mm. Cropped to about 780mm effective field of view. My Birds and Wildlife Mode. Processed in Photomator.