Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!oliveb!oliven!mjm
From: mjm@oliven.olivetti.com (Michael Mammoser)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: a strange experience with a Cedar Waxwing
Message-ID: <27905@oliveb.olivetti.com>
Date: 26 Aug 88 23:53:37 GMT
References: <9139@ihlpa.ATT.COM>
Sender: news@oliveb.olivetti.com
Lines: 32

In article <9139@ihlpa.ATT.COM>, harolds1@ihlpa.ATT.COM (Schessler) writes:
 > 
 > Something very strange happened the other day!
 > 
 > I just happened to be waiting for someone
 > standing on a lawn at my office building.
 > I happened to spot a Cedar Waxwing perched in a tree 20 feet away.
 > I took a few steps at right angles to the path to the tree.
 > She (or he) flew from the tree to within a few feet of
 > me - landing on the grass and then took off again back to the tree.
 > 
 > I thought this behavior rather strange
 > (and being worried that some harm was done to her by
 > the lawn chemicals used that morning) I walked towards
 > the tree very slowly. I was able to get within 5 feet of the tree and when I
 > did she flew to my feet - I couldn't believe it - right to
 > my feet! Thinking she might perch on my finger 
 > - I take care of 5 free roaming house birds so I feel I understand birds pretty well -
 > I bent down slowly. She took off to another tree leaving me with a mystery.
 > 
 > Does anyone understand her behavior? I don't believe they nest on the ground
 > which might mean that she was diverting me from a nest.

	Perhaps your movement on the lawn was stirring up insects that the
bird was flying down to feed on. I don't know if this behavior is typical for
waxwings, but there are birds that feed in this manner; most notably, the
Cattle Egret. It follows cattle or farm machinery around and feeds off of the
insects that are stirred up.

	Waxwings don't nest on the ground or, usually, in urban areas.

Mike