Daedalus Birds Return To Florida

Flocks of cedar waxwings have made their appearance in north central Florida. These birds are commonly heard before they're seen. They emit high-pitched wheezy whistles as they wing through the sky. In this area they swoop en masse into the holly trees lining Gainesville's downtown streets and gorge themselves on the bright red fruits.

I get the feeling that the spectacle of dozens of birds careering through downtown intersections and stripping the trees of berries goes rather unnoticed by the majority of folks. The annual return of the waxwings is a seasonal hallmark for the local birding community.