courtship Archives - Claire Payne Studios

A Bunny on the side of the road

Posted on June 18, 2021October 10, 2023 by Claire Payne

This morning I saw a little bunny and I stopped to ask asked him why he was eating his breakfast so close to the road.

The Bunny said he loves this exact spot because it was where the best greens were. He said that Foxes stay away from the road because it is very dangerous and told me he could avoid the dangers of both the road and prowling foxes if he stayed tucked in just to the side of the road.

spring greens are the best

keep one eye open for Mr. Fox!!

and the other eye on the road…

As he continued to eat his breakfast, he promised me to be extra careful. I enjoyed my little talk with the bunny and I just have to trust he knows what he is doing, so I went on my way.

so much to choose from here

and if I don’t move no one will ever notice me

A Cedar Waxwing courtship ritual

Posted on June 11, 2021October 10, 2023 by Claire Payne

The Cedar Waxwing is a bird that’s hard to not to love. They are incredibly beautiful with a delicate and sophisticated appearance, they travel in groups and display behaviors that personify love and caring for each other.

During courtship, the male will offer the female a gift of something like a piece of fruit, a flower petal, or an insect. They will pass it back and forth until the gift is eaten. I have seen this ritual a few times and it’s the sweetest thing to watch!

Once the ritual starts, the birds are very focused on each other. If you are really lucky you can see them in the trees passing their gift back and forth, back and forth.

Cedar Waxwings are found throughout North America. You can see them in places where fruiting trees are available as a food source.

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