The cedar waxwing is a winter bird in the Raleigh area. I personally have encountered them only once in this area, near Umstead Park. When I was in Connecticut, where they are present year-round, I used to see them all the time around a reservoir near my house. Like me, cedar waxwings have a sweet tooth, enjoying a sugary diet of sweet berries and tree sap. I painted this handsome male early in 2023, from a reference photo I found online. Watercolor, 5.5″x8.”