Bohemian WaxwingA bohemian waxwing enjoys a winter feast of berries. (Photo David A. Murray)

As the cold winter wind whistled across the new fallen snow, the bright red berries provided a colorful contrast as they dropped from the leafless branches. The small tree came alive with song when the flock of bohemian waxwings joyously discovered this feast of berries. The high-pitched call seee seee filled the cold air as the birds busily stripped the tree and snow-covered ground of the luscious red berries.

In North America, there are only two breeding species of waxwings, the cedar waxwing and the bohemian waxwing. Both of these strikingly beautiful birds are very recognizable, although, finding both cedar and bohemian waxwings can be challenging. This is especially true for the bohemian waxwing, which is less widely spread throughout North America.

Waxwings share a few common characteristics that help to identify the species. Even though the unique, red, waxy, wing tips, which are how the waxwings got their name, are common to both species, the wing tips are very difficult to see. The most visible features are the crested head and black mask that extends from the base of the beak and around the eyes. The bohemian waxwing is the larger of the two species and has more gray-colored feathering.

Except for breeding season, the bohemian waxwing usually travels in large flocks. This is a highly social and approachable bird, and can be fun to watch as flocks move in unison from one location to another.

Bohemian waxwings spend most of the year in the northern part of the continent. The breeding range extends from Alaska and northern Canada south to Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Although, during the winter, flocks can be very unpredictable, and small groups travel as far to the east as Maine and Newfoundland, bohemians are still considered a rare sighting in the northeastern United States.

The preferred habitat for the bohemian waxwing is a mixed woodland and coniferous forest. During the nesting season, the open coniferous forest provides good cover from both the weather and potential predators; while during the balance of the year, the mixed woodlands offer a habitat plentiful in food sources.

The diet of the bohemian waxwing largely consists of berries. This is their most favored food source; although, insects, tree sap, and flower petals also contribute to their diet.

Many people associate warm, summer days, and clear blue skies, as good days to go out and take pictures. Well, even though there isn't anything wrong with that, great photo opportunities abound all year-round. The winter months can certainly provide additional challenges to photographing, however, with preparation, it can be as enjoyable and rewarding as at any other time of the year.

Fresh fallen snow can provide a beautiful backdrop for photographing many different subjects, and that definitely includes photographing critters. After a night of snowfall, I like to get out early and scout around for a subject to photograph against the sparkling, clean, white landscape. That is exactly how I found a flock of hungry bohemian waxwings. Once I noticed them filling the leafless trees, it was simply a matter of following the flock until they led me to their feeding spot.

I approached slowly as the birds engulfed the berry-laden tree, stopping intermittently to fire off a few frames while watching their reaction to my presence. I didn't want to risk scaring the flock away, as some birds began to drop to the snowy ground below the tree to eat the fallen berries. This was the shot that I wanted; the vivid, red berries contrasting against the fresh, white snow. At the time, I was working on my Wildlife & Outdoor Art Card Collection™, and knew that this image would make a wonderful note and holiday greeting card.

It's important to think about how you will ultimately use a photograph at the time you are creating it. With all the possibilities available, as far as exposure and composition, shooting for a specific usage can greatly increase your chances that that photograph will work for a particular application or publisher.

Even if you're shooting just for fun, selecting a vertical or horizontal camera orientation will dramatically affect the appearance or use of the image. Personally, if appropriate for the subject, I try to photograph most subjects in both orientations. This allows you to choose the composition best suited for a particular use - be it to create a note card, or to frame as a print for your wall.

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