Cedar Waxwing, Kennebunk Bridle Path, Kennebunk ME

As I have mentioned in past posts, we seem to have a lot of Cedar Waxwings (along with Eastern Towhees and Brown Thrashers) this year, compared at least to recent years. Twice now I have come across extended families of Cedar Waxwings (tribes? of CWWs) actively feeding. Most recently I encountered them in the trees along the water meadow on the Kennebunk Bridle Path. They were again, all around me…moving between trees on both sides of the path, landing as close to me as 10 feet. This shot was only just over half the reach on my 2000mm equivalent zoom…but that is why a zoom is so handy to carry. As you see the bird was buried in foliage, backlighted, and there was a dark cloud passing overhead so the light was very subdued…and still the camera pulled out a shot I could process to a satisfying image. I love the combination of subtle shading on the body, and the contrasting bright red and yellow “waxlike” highlights.

Nikon P900 at 1100mm equivalent field of view. 1/500th @ ISO 220 @ f5.6. Processed in Topaz Dejpeg and Lightroom.