Category Archives: Perching Birds

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers Nesting

April 23, 2025 Ellen Jennings 3 Comments

A pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are making a nest in a Crepe Myrtle in our back yard.

They have been gathering material for a few days and this morning I spotted the nest. Here one of the pair was smoothing around the outside of the bowl shaped nest.

Much of the viewable material appears to be lichen or small pieces of dried leaf.

The pair worked cooperatively when they arrived back at the nest at the same time, one handing off material to the other to work into the structure.

Summerville, SC
April 23, 2025

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Perching Birds

Boat-tailed Grackle Looking For A Snack

March 23, 2025 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

It’s not a stretch to think there were all sorts of treasures hidden in the vegetation on this rotting log floating just off the boardwalk at Orlando Wetlands.

The Boat-tailed Grackle pulled …

and yanked…

…and dragged whatever he could latch onto.

However, he didn’t appear to find anything good.

Orlando Wetlands, Christmas, FL
February 11, 2025

Perching Birds

Cedar Waxwings Eating Mulberries, 2

April 7, 2024 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

Another set of the Cedar Waxwings eating mulberries.

Port Royal, SC
March 29, 2024

Perching Birds

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

April 2, 2024 Ellen Jennings Leave a comment

A zippy bird, this Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was poking all around the trail-side vegetation.

He took a quick pause out in the open.

Presumably he was hunting for his lunch but I didn’t see him have any success.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
March 26, 2024

Perching Birds

Cedar Waxwings Getting A Drink

April 1, 2024 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

On some sort of secret signal this Cedar Waxwing flock descended onto a storm drain cover in the sidewalk that was holding a bit of water.

There was no scuffling or shoving, they just dropped in and a few got a sip.

Some of them stood on the periphery and watched.

A few fluttered in and a few fluttered out.

The yellow tail tip was visible on a few of these birds.

On another signal, off they went. You can see on the cover that couldn’t have been a cup of water all together.

Port Royal, SC
March 29, 2024

Perching Birds

Cedar Waxwings Eating Mulberries

March 31, 2024 Ellen Jennings 7 Comments

I had spotted a half dozen Cedar Waxwings in a nature area, backlit and high above me and really had no hope of getting any photos. Then I took a stroll on a residential street on the edge of the preserve and was nearly divebombed by this crew.

It was a real treat to watch a flock of about 50 Cedar Waxwings zip in and out of a mulberry tree that hung over the road.

The branches were bouncing up and down and every time a car drove by the birds scattered.

Good timing for me, there was a ten minute gap with no cars and the serious eating began.

They hung onto the berries almost like prizes and even worked together to break off bits.

Port Royal, SC
March 29, 2024

Perching Birds

Rusty Blackbird at Stream Edge

October 29, 2022 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

This Rusty Blackbird blended into the background but as he twisted around poking in the stream his understated color scheme showed off a bit. A nearby maple tree had dropped a few turned leaves for a hint of color in the scene.