Chirps and Cheeps

While in Ellicottville with the family, I made the short trip to Conewanga Swamp, a past favorite spot of mine, while the younger and more adventurous members of our group went to Sky High, a zip line obstacle course.  I knew that activity would be totally out of my league; I'll go enjoy some peaceful and safe birding, thank you!

One great sighting at the swamp was a very confiding Eastern Wood-Pewee.  There were several at the location but this guy was very trusting and did some fly catching right in front of me.

I also found a few other young birds, or evidence of breeding. and added some records to the NYS BBA III project.  One was a young Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and his dad and the other was a pair of nesting Cedar Waxwings.  Cedar Waxwings are late nesters so it was not surprising to find them still in the nesting phase.

Two Blue Jays were attacking the waxwings' nest but the waxwings were able to fend them off.  What a ruckus!  The jays sounded vicious  and the waxwings had a strange hissing sound.  It was that hiss that drew me to the nest sight.  When the jays took off, one of the waxwings, I'm guessing the male, perched nearby and the other got in the nest and disappeared.  The only photo I was able to get, due to lots of branches and leaves in the way, was of the nest, itself.  You'll have to take my word for it and picture the momma waxwing sitting down in the nest!