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Cedar Waxwings

January 2021
Migrating Cedar Waxwings can strip a large shrub of berries in minutes – an impressive if not a messy sight if it occurs in your yard or driveway, but a natural appearing phenomenon along the creek at this time of the year. These sleek and colorful birds, drawn to the creek by the sound of its running water, and shallow areas to bathe, also find abundant food sources. While a flock or swarm of these colorful birds is hard to miss, it can be difficult to see the details of an individual bird – these backyard photos show their distinctive masks, red wing highlights, and perhaps their acrobatic flight and feeding capabilities. Along the creek, Cedar Waxwings appear to rest in the afternoon sun, seemingly fortified for their travels.

Cedar Waxwing Mask

Cedar Waxwing Agility

Cedar Waxwing Speed
Nature is often not tidy, but many of the elements that threaten Joe’s Creek and almost all urban waterways can be mitigated by our choices and actions.Below are noted a few of the best practices which support the ecology of the Creek. We also welcome your ideas and suggestions. Voluntary compliance is the most powerful tool that we have; so in the New Year we hope that all NPNA neighbors will join us in these efforts to the extent possible.

Water Quality:

  • Avoid excess fertilizers, inorganic pesticides, weed killers and other yard and garden chemicals.
  • Here’s a New Year’s Resolution: Drive less and walk or cycle more. Chances are you’ll safely meet your neighbors in the process! (Automobile residues are washed into the creek through storm water drains.)
  • Do not discharge swimming pool water into alleys or streets if it contains chlorine levels above the low limit specified by the City of Dallas Stormwater Management. Note: fines can be levied.
  • No leaves or yard debris should be swept, thrown or blown into the storm drains with leaf blowers, or any other means.
  • Landscapes that include xeriscape are more beneficial since they will have less runoff, and thus carry less contaminants into the creek.

Erosion Control:

  • No cutting, digging, or interfering with any shrubs or trees on the banks of the creek.

Plastic trash: Move from refuse to recycle

  • Recycling appears to be a less effective option, as demand has declined, so that much plastic intended for recycle ends up in landfills. A number of companies are now offering ordinary household products such as detergents that are shipped as concentrates, without any plastic, or water, that also adds to the shipping weight.

To all our NPNA Neighbors and Visitors, on behalf of our Creek Leaders, A Happy and Healthy New Year, and Enjoy the Creek, Park and Greenbelt.

Vince Punaro, NPNA Creek Committee Leader