travelled to visit family and spotted some new birds for the first time (。^ᴗ^ )
^ pine grosbeaks (female)
a very pretty bird, both in plumage and song! I didn't get any photos I was quite satisfied with for the males, but they are a very pleasant pink colour ( ˙꒳˙ )
^ bohemian waxwings
very elegant-looking birds! they're most easily distinguished from cedar waxwings by the cinnamon colour of their under-tail coverts—cedar waxwings' are white ( ˙꒳˙ )
"During summer in Alaska and western Canada, scattered Bohemian Waxwings may be seen perching on spruce tops and flying out to catch insects in mid-air. In winter these same birds become sociable nomads, with large flocks wandering the northwest in search of berries. Sometimes they stray as far east as New England, but in most areas their numbers are quite variable from year to year (the name 'Bohemian' reflects their unconventional and seemingly carefree lifestyle). However, in some cities in the prairie provinces of Canada, Bohemians can be found by the thousands every winter, no doubt lured by the plantings of mountain-ash and other fruiting trees."