Birders

It was on the campus of my alma mater, Northern Illinois University, one early spring day, decades ago. Maybe about 1982 or thereabouts.

I was walking across campus and happened on a small tree with bare branches (because it was too early for either flowers or leaves) that was covered with cedar waxwings! I stopped to gaze at them and they gazed back at me for a few moments before I moved on. It was magical.

If such a thing happened nowadays, I'd pull out my phone and take a picture, but of course no such thing was possible back then. I treasure the memory but would love to have been able preserve it with a photo.