Congratulations to Sandra Rust for winning the Spring Mammals, Amphibians And More Assignment with the image, “Cedar Waxwing eating a Crabapple Blossom.” See more of Sandra Rust’s work at jolietcommercialphotographer.com.
View the winning image and a selection of submissions in the gallery below. And be sure to check out our current photography assignment here and enter your best shots!
Winner: “Cedar Waxwing Eating A Crabapple Blossom” By Sandra Rust
“I love cedar waxwings,” says Rust. “They’re at the top of my list of favorite birds to photograph, and I’ve had many memorable moments with them in nature. I was standing near a crabapple tree and noticed a flock of cedar waxwings in the tree. I looked up and saw them eating the petals off the crabapple flowers. I could hear them making a high-pitched, trilled ‘bzeee’ and a sighing whistle while searching for petals to eat. I was able to click this shot of one reaching down to grab a blossom petal.
“Cedar waxwings’ diet consists mostly of berries and insects. The majority of their diet is berries and small fruits. I recently learned they also eat some flowers and crabapple blossoms. Cedar waxwings love fruit, so to attract them to your yard, plant native trees and shrubs that bear small fruits. They’re also known for feeding on insects like mayflies and stoneflies over ponds, lakes and streams.”