Outdoors

————————E—E—E—E—E—E—=—==—————————————

Plentiful waxwings on Peninsula

We scem to be experiencing a
waxwing year with several callers
seeing them recently on the Penin-
Sula.

Like red crossbills, waxwings
tend to be erratic in their appearan-
ces, Occurting in numbers some
winters and virtually absent during
others. Both the larger and greyer
Bohemian Waxwing and the
Cedar, which people have been

secing of late, seem to do a good
bit of wandenng.

Mrs. Hibberson of Bourne Ter-
race spotted a flock of these
“cherry birds” in Sidney and our
own Helen Lang has been enjoy-

CEDAR WAXWING

ing the handsome fellows at her
feeder.

Everyone who has called has
mentioned the sleek silky appear-
ance and the jaunty crest. There
are those who feel that the cedar
Waxwing 1S OUr most attractive
bird.

Fer no other common bird is
dressed in a robe of so delicate and
silky texture. The velvet-black face
mask brightens into fawn, melting
browns, shifting saffrons, quaker
drabs, with trimmings of white and
golden-yellow and bright red
extensions of the inner wing quills.

The erecule crest completes the
image. For some reason, I suspect
with some certainty, cedar waxw-
ings tend to arrive late in breeding
arcas in the spring.

Nor do they rush into the busi-
ness of setting up termtories, court-
ship, mating and nest construction.
Rather, the are dilatory.

It seems, however, that they are
most likely awaiting the season of
ripening berries and other fruits
which feature heavily in the diet of
both adults and chicks.

Cedar waxwings are known to
feed upcn juniper bermes, choke-
chermes, cranberries, honeysuckle,
mountain ash’ berries, mistletoe
fruits, raspberries, blackbemes,

CY HAMPSON photo

hawthorn, hackberry and sassa-
fras,

The developing young consume
a great many insects as well. One
season, I noted them feeding the
chicks great numbers of saskatoon
berries, carried to the nest in the
crops of the adults by the dozens.

The nest are bulky affairs fash-
ioned of grasses, mosses, shredded
bark, bits of string, plant fibres and
fine twigs. They tend. to nest in
somewhat open areas, shunning
dense woods.

The characteristic
song consists of a
very soft, high pitched
whistling note which
carries for only a short
Cisfance’

UNLIMITED

PHONE 656-1117

TANNING

Tanning:
Studio

2 Year
Membership

ONLY $35
~ Down
$21.99 a month

including GST

“GET READY
FOR
SPRING”

9810 10th St. Sidney
(Mariner Village Mall)

The adults tend to be quite tame
and are easily approached. One
seldom sees either of our waxw-
ings, singly or in pairs, for they are

- by nature very gregarious, usually.

travelling and foraging in close
flocks.

The characteristic song consists
of a very soft, high pitched whis-
tling note which carries for only a
short distance.

Elsewhere, when the larger
Bohemian waxwing occurs in pat-
ticularly favourable feeding areas,
they number in hundreds, delight-

gentunits

G VALENTINE’S

WEEKEND SPECIAL
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY.

3 Dinner Specials _ 2
- STUFFED SOLE - CHICKEN OSCAR

@ ~e SALMON WELLINGTON.
CHOICE OF 2 SOUPS OR SALAD ee
SOUPS - SOUP DE JOUR SEAFOOD CHOWDER -
MINI LOAF 2 oN

v

ing observers for days on end.

FOR ONLY $12.95
— ALSO
_ REGULAR MENU AVAILABLE
. PENTURING “9
* GREEK FOOD +» SEAFOOD AND
OTHER SPECIALTIES .

SRBTSAne

<

IF YOU SAY

“STONE THE CROW”
AT THE
STONEHOUSE PUB
WE'LL MEET YOU
HALF WAY

SPECIAL MENU
THIS VALENTINE’S

Call for reservations or directions

656-3498

STONEHOUSE PUB:

YOUR HOSTS
@ COSTAS & MAIRY CAVARA’S

y

(PA04000000006000000004

If it’s Sports Call the Review

Sidney, B.C.

ee 656-1151

We have hundreds of ways to say
“I love you”

SIDNEY FLORIST

2499 Beacon Ave., Sidney By-The-Sea 656-3313
“Just steps away from the Wharf”

Z |